Biography
The Bingemen were a roots-rock band from New Orleans, Louisiana, who were active in the city between 1991 and 1999, consisting of Marc Funti on drums, Ed Conway on guitar, Cleaver Schmidt on bass and vocals, and Jim McCormick on lead vocals. They wrote most of their own material, which was influenced by classic rock bands like Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Who, and The Band, as well as country music, alternative pop, blues, and New Orleans R & B. McCormick and Conway were the primary songwriters. Before joining the Bingemen, Funti was a member of Resonance, another local New Orleans band, while Schmidt, known simply as Cleaver to friends and fans, played in the local nightclub staple Fresh Young Minds, as well as his family's traditional jug band.
The Bingemen released an EP called "Motor in the Ocean" in 1994, produced by Fred LeBlanc of Cowboy Mouth, and a full-length CD "Bingemen" the following year. In 1996, they performed at the South by Southwest Music Festival in Austin, Texas, and at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. They developed a solid fan base through frequent touring throughout the South in such places as Atlanta and Orlando.
After the Bingemen disbanded in 1999, McCormick released three country music CDs under his own name, "Jim McCormick" in 2001, "You Can't Drown Your Sorrows" in 2004, and "Live at Jazz Fest" in 2012. Today, Jim McCormick is a songwriter in Nashville, Tennessee, penning hit country songs for artists like Tim McGraw, Brantley Gilbert, Randy Travis, and Trisha Yearwood.
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