British session guitarist
Big Jim Sullivan, born James George Tomkins, died at the age of 71. He began his career in
1959 as a member of Marty Wilde's band, who bought him a Gibson
Les Paul, reportedly the first example of that type in Britain. Sullivan taught future
Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore to play guitar and also helped Steve Howe of
Yes and Asia on the road to success. He played on 55 songs that reached No. 1 and worked with, among others,
George Harrison,
Frank Zappa, Thunderclap Newman, Love Affair, Long John Baldry, Marmalade, and The Tremeloes. During
Jimmy Page's studio career, he was known as “Little Jim” to distinguish him from Page.
