Growing up in suburban Chicago and taking in the folk, blues, and early rock traditions that the city offered, Jim Roll began his musical evolution as a member of Midwest rockers the Bald Willies before uprooting to Frankfurt, Germany, and becoming a street musician. Having suffered thusly for his craft, Roll returned stateside to further sharpen his skills while hitting the folk club circuit. By October of 1996, Roll's reflective songwriting and sometimes bizarre stage persona had resulted in a sizable following, a record contract, and a debut release in 1998's Ready to Hang....