Jimi Calhoun is an author, ethicist, and musician residing in Austin, Texas. He is an internationally recognized speaker and gifted story-teller. He has appeared on national television programs on NBC, ABC, and CBS and hosted his own radio program for more than four years. He has presented at several colleges and seminaries throughout the United States.

 

He is passionate about building bridges wherever spatial division and social segregation exist.  To that end Jimi serves on several boards in the greater Austin area:

• The Pecan Street Association, which stages one of Austin’s most popular Arts & Music Festivals twice a year, and also works to alleviate the challenges those experiencing homelessness face.

• The Interfaith Arts Council seeks to promote understanding between people from different faith traditions. Community Dreams Inc. supports a music program for urban youth.

• Bridging Austin, a reconciling community committed to the inclusion of the racially different and the differently abled. (people living with a disability)

 

Jimi’s musical career began with a band named Leon’s Creation in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band released its first album titled This is the Beginning and was soon signed to superstar Sly Stone’s Stoneflower production company. While traveling to Los Angeles to record with various artists, Jimi met Dr. John (Mac Rebennack) and was invited to be part of his band. The Dr. John band recorded the Gumbo album which was listed as the 404th best album of all-time by Rolling Stone Magazine. The Dr. John band would perform alongside several notable artists such as John Lennon, Mick Jagger, Elton John and Bobby Blue Bland.

 

After leaving the Dr. John Band, Jimi’s former band, Leon’s Creation, reunited in Los Angeles as simply Creation and signed with Atlantic Records.  Jimi later returned to The Dr. John Band and then joined Detroit rockers Rare Earth. Soon Jimi found himself in the studio with his old friend Buddy Miles recording a Funkadelic hit titled Comin’ Round the Mountain, and subsequently began touring with The Buddy Miles Road Runners. Jimi would go on to play on three more Parliament-Funkadelic albums.  Later, Jimi and vocalist Carol Stallings would sign with Columbia records as Creation. Jimi then did a brief stint with Brian Auger and the Oblivion Express before reuniting with Dr. John in New York City. Returning to Los Angeles, Jimi would again record and tour with The Buddy Miles Regiment.

 

In 1983 Jimi walked through the doors of Hope Chapel Foursquare Church in Hermosa Beach, California.

Pastor Zac Nazarian created an opportunity for Jimi to enter pastoral training which resulted in his ordination in the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel. Since then, Jimi has served as a pastor at churches in Los Angeles California, Delray Beach Florida, Burtonsville Maryland, Austin Texas, and Belize Central America.