Jim McCarty (guitarist)

In early 1970, McCarty was asked by former Vanilla Fudge members Tim Bogert and Carmine Appice to join their band, along with Rusty Day. The band later formed into Cactus. During his first tenure as a member of Cactus, he played on their first three albums: Cactus (1970), One Way... or Another (1971), and Restrictions (1971), before ultimately leaving in 1971 due to conflicts with the band. He returned to the band during the 2010s to record of the albums Cactus V (2006), and Black Dawn (2016).

In 2006, he participated in a Cactus reunion, performing in New York City, Sweden, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. It coincided with the release of a new Cactus album, Cactus V. In 2007, Cactus played a Detroit date, a McCarty homecoming, to a sold-out, standing-room-only house. After two years in Cactus he left the band: "There were some great moments, but then there was a lot of banging heads together. Eventually I left because it was a frustrating experience for me"[2]

Jim McCarty and Carmine Appice reunited Cactus once again in 2011. This line up included singer Jimmy Kunes, bassist Pete Bremy from Vanilla Fudge, and Randy Pratt on harmonica. This incarnation lasted five years producing two live albums, TKO Tokyo: Live in Japan, An Evening in Tokyo, and a studio album, Black Dawn. They toured the United States, Europe and Japan. McCarty and Bremy left the band in late 2016.

Since about 2014 Jim McCarty has joined forces with Detroit blues guitarist/songwriter Kenny Parker in The Kenny Parker Band along with several other veteran Detroit blues/rock musicians. He also makes guest appearances with other Detroit bands, most notably for an annual pre New Year's Eve party at one of his favorite clubs, "Callahan's", with The Millionaires, a nine piece jump blues band.

He also recorded with Jimi Hendrix and Bob Seger. He plays in a heavy blues-rock style that has inspired fledgling guitar players for more than 40 years.

In an August 2006 interview on VH1 Classic, Ted Nugent remarked "I'm the only guy in rock'n'roll that plays that hollow body jazz guitar (a Gibson Byrdland) and it's because in 1960 I saw Jimmy McCarty creating those big fat full chords like I do on "Stranglehold"; I learned that from Jimmy McCarty. Remember the name Jimmy McCarty. He is as important as Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry and Les Paul...a god on guitar."

In 2005, Les Paul recorded Les Paul and Friends: American Made, World Played, with an all-star band. He covered "69 Freedom Special", an instrumental tune co-written by McCarty and recorded while in the Buddy Miles Express. In February 2006, Les Paul won a Grammy for his cover of the song, thus propelling McCarty into another award-winning arena as songwriter.

In 2009, a new band, the Hell Drivers, was created. The members are Jim McCarty, Johnny "Bee" Badanjek, Marvin Conrad (bass), and Jim Edwards (vocals). A high-energy band, they play a variety of Detroit rock and roll from Iggy Pop, The Rockets, Mitch Ryder, Alice Cooper, Bob Seger and more to great critical acclaim.

On September 25, 2010, Jim McCarty was inducted into the Canada South Blues Society "Living Blues Museum" located in Windsor, Ontario.