Nashville session drummer among 14 new Wabash Valley Musicians Hall of Famers

Sep. 17—Jim Thistle II moved to Nashville at the age of 24 and found a lasting niche.

Today, the 52-year-old Clay County native is a busy recording session drummer in Music City's studios.

"I provide a solid foundation for any artist I'm supporting, and I play for the song," Thistle said last week of his livelihood. He also plays in live performances around that Tennessee music mecca.

Among the 14 musicians chosen for induction into the Wabash Valley Musicians Hall of Fame in a dinner, ceremony and jam session at the Zorah Shrine on Sunday, Thistle is one of those who made a mark as a recording artist.

The Hall of Fame's Class of 2023 also includes Irish fiddler and guitarist Randal Bays, bassist-guitarist Art Blankenship, keyboardist-drummer Mike Cruse, multi-instrumentalist and music educator Brad Ennen, vocalist-keyboardist John Henderson, singer-guitarist-keyboardist John Hennessy, composer-instrumentalist Brent Lindsay, singer-keyboardist-guitarist Melissa Milbourn, vocalist Erin Oransky, bassist Bill Pine, trumpeter Steve Shaw, guitarist-bassist-drummer Matthew Westerfield and multi-instrumentalist John Wheat.

Thistle has played on recordings by famed songwriters such as David Lee Murphy ("Dust on the Bottle") and Buzz Cason ("Soldier of Love" recorded by The Beatles), as well as other recording artists. Thistle also handled drums for the Dixie Chicks (now known simply as The Chicks) on their "Wide Open Spaces" tour.

And, he's played on the Grand Ole Opry stage multiple times dating back to 1994, during his 30-year career in Nashville.

Thistle has also played live shows with Murphy, who has multiple country hits of his own, but has also written chart-toppers for other artists such as Kenny Chesney.

"His shows are always fun to play, because every song is either a hit for him or other artists," Thistle said Thursday, before Sunday's ceremony.

Thistle's path to this weekend's Wabash Valley Musicians Hall of Fame induction got a footing in west-central Indiana. Thistle graduated from Clay City High School in 1989 and then earned a degree in communications and business from Indiana State University "to learn other aspects of the business besides playing drums," but took music courses at ISU and Indiana University throughout those years.

He grew up in a musical family, and his late father Jim, a longtime band director and professional musician, was himself inducted into the Valley Hall in 2013.

"My father was pretty much my biggest influence," Thistle said. "Outside of that, I was really knocked out by John Mellencamp's music, coming out of Indiana."

Now, Thistle and his father are both Hall of Famers.

"It's an honor," he said of his selection. "I'm very humbled and flattered."

Mark Bennett can be reached at 812-231-4377 or mark.bennett@tribstar.com.