Jim Leverton

Jim Leverton
Jim Leverton (2012)
Background information
Born	1946 (age 70–71) Dover, Kent, England
Genres	Progressive rock
Instruments	Bass guitar
Years active	1960s to present
Associated acts	Caravan

Jim Leverton (born 1946, Dover, Kent, England) is an English professional musician, with a career spanning nearly fifty years, including as a sidesman to the Jimi Hendrix Experience's Noel Redding, Steve Marriott, Blodwyn Pig and the Canterbury scene band Caravan.

After leaving school in Folkestone in 1964, Leverton spent a short while as an apprentice bricklayer but it was not long before he decided his future was as a musician. By the early 1960s he was already working in semi-professional beat groups in and around Dover, including The Big Beats (1962–63).

By 1964 he was ready to work full-time in music, and joined The Burnettes from Folkestone who had Leverton's friend Noel Redding on guitar. They broke up 18 months later having released two singles. Leverton soon joined another band with Noel Redding, The Loving Kind (1965–67) formerly The Lonely Ones. They released three singles for Pye Records including a cover of Marvin Gaye's "Ain't That Peculiar". Redding left the band to join the Jimi Hendrix Experience, but The Loving Kind continued for a while and Leverton worked as a session musician with Tom Jones, Gilbert O’Sullivan and Engelbert Humperdinck.

When Redding formed his new band Fat Mattress (1968–70) he was reunited with Leverton alongside Neil Landon (vocals) and Eric Dillon (drums). The band toured America and released two albums.