“1998 Live Hits” is a powerful time capsule capturing the energy, emotion, and artistry of legendary vocalist Jimi Jamison at a pivotal point in his post-Survivor career.
Recorded across three vibrant shows in Little Rock, AR, Nashville, TN, and Bettendorf, IA, and now to be released by Frontiers Music Srl, this album showcases Jamison’s electrifying live presence and undeniable vocal prowess as he revisits some of the most iconic songs from his time with Survivor, along with deep cuts, original solo work, and inspired covers. The album will be out on December 12th, 2025.
Backing Jamison is a seasoned and soulful ensemble: longtime collaborators Jeff Adams (bass, vocals) and Hal Butler (keyboards, vocals) were joined by guitarist Chris Adamson, drummer Pete Mendillo, and Memphis-based producer and guitarist Wes Henley, who also supervised these live album recordings. This lineup reflects a strong musical camaraderie built over years of touring, with several members having roots alongside Jamison that date back to his 1970s band Target.
Now, years later, these recordings allow fans—old and new—to reconnect with a voice and spirit that remains timeless. “1998 Live Hits” is more than a concert album; it’s a tribute to an era, a legacy, and the enduring magic of Jimi Jamison.
To kick off this announcement, the first single is the seminal track, “Burning Heart”, accompanied by a live video. Watch the video below.
One standout from the set is a haunting performance of “Riders on the Storm” by The Doors — a testament to Jamison’s ability to tap into a wide range of emotions and his gift for storytelling through song. His delivery brings an atmospheric intensity, drawing the listener deep into the moment.
The track list includes fan favorites such as “Burning Heart”, “High On You”, “I Can’t Hold Back”, “The Search is Over”, and “Eye of the Tiger”, all songs that defined a generation of melodic rock. Deeper cuts like “Oceans” and “Too Hot to Sleep” reveal the richness of Survivor’s catalog, while Jamison’s originals, such as “Rock Hard” and “I’m Always Here” (the iconic Baywatch theme), showcase his creative versatility.
Of particular note is the interplay between Chris Adamson and Wes Henley on guitars. Though Henley’s primary role was behind the board, his friendship with Jamison and passion for the Survivor material often brought him onstage. Together, he and Adamson bring layered, textured performances that do justice to the intricate compositions of Peterik and Sullivan.
Through warm crowd interactions and powerful vocal moments, “1998 Live Hits” highlights Jamison’s authentic stage presence, Memphis soul, and deep bond with both his band and his audience. As friends and collaborators reflect, this wasn’t just a group of musicians—it was a family.
Pre-order & pre-save “1998 Live Hits” here.
Tracklist:
1. Burning Heart
2. High On You
3. Rebel Son
4. I’m Always Here
5. I See You in Everyone
6. Rock Hard
7. Oceans
8. The Search is Over
9. Is This Love
10. I Can’t Hold Back
11. Riders on the Storm
12. Too Hot to Sleep
13. Eye of the Tiger
14. Higher Ground / Roadhouse Blues (Bonus Track Japan)
Powerhouse vocalist Jimi Jamison earned recognition as the frontman for hard rock bands Target and Cobra before reaching platinum heights with Survivor, singing the hits “Burning Heart” from the film Rocky IV, “I Can’t Hold Back”, “High On You”, “The Search is Over”, and “Is This Love”. Acclaimed by legendary U.S. disc jockey Casey Kasem as “The Voice”, Jimi Jamison’s performances are treasured by connoisseurs of AOR and melodic rock who consistently rate him as one of the genre’s Top 5 vocalists of all time.
Raised on R&B, Blues-Rock, and Country music in Memphis, Tennessee, Jimi Jamison released his first single in 1967 with a band called The Debuts. “If I Cry” was originally intended for fellow Memphis band, The Box Tops, featuring lead singer Alex Chilton. Jamison honed his craft by singing commercial jingles by day and fronting gritty rockers Target by night. His next band, Cobra, with Mandy Meyer on guitar, cut a cult classic in 1983’s “First Strike”, but that was just a prelude to Jamison’s breakthrough as lead singer of Survivor.
With Jimi Jamison at the mic, Survivor proved that its earlier success with “Eye of the Tiger” was no fluke. The combination of Jamison’s emotion-charged vocals with Jim Peterik and Frankie Sullivan’s masterful songwriting and Ron Nevison’s radio-friendly production resulted in 1984’s Platinum-selling “Vital Signs” album. Its hit singles “I Can’t Hold Back”, “High On You”, and “The Search is Over” were massive hits, later joined by Survivor’s Rocky IV theme, “Burning Heart”, and the further Top 10 hit “Is This Love”. Survivor’s 1980s trilogy featuring Jamison – “Vital Signs” (1984), “When Seconds Count” (1986), and “Too Hot to Sleep” (1988) – are acclaimed as AOR and melodic rock landmarks. Concurrently, Jamison’s voice could be heard singing prominent harmony vocals on ZZ Top’s smash “Eliminator” album, most notably on “Gimme All Your Lovin’”.
Striking out on his own in the 1990s, Jimi Jamison released the solo albums “When Love Comes Down” and “Empires”. His voice and songwriting reached new audiences through “I’m Always Here”, the theme song for Baywatch, the most-watched television series in the world with a weekly audience of over 1.1 billion viewers. But touring became his primary focus throughout the decade, both with all-star projects including Voices of Classic Rock and with his own band. Jamison’s primarily Memphis-bred group comprised acclaimed musicians including keyboardist Hal Butler; guitarists John Roth, Jerry Riggs, Hal McCormack, and Chris Adamson; bass players Jeff Adams and Barry Dunaway; and drummers Bill Marshall and Pete Mendillo. The most stable lineup of Butler, Adamson, Adams, and Mendillo was captured live in concert in 1998, but the recordings went unreleased.
Jamison returned to the record racks with a vengeance in the 2000s, with projects including Survivor’s 2006 album, “Reach”; the 2008 collaboration with Jim Peterik, “Crossroads Moment”, and its 2010 companion piece “Extra Moments”; 2011 duo albums “Kimball Jamison” with his longtime friend, Toto lead vocalist Bobby Kimball, and “One Man’s Trash” with guitarist Fred Zahl; and his final solo album, 2012’s “Never Too Late”. Jamison’s triumphant first-ever UK appearance at Firefest 2010, backed by a band featuring guitarist Tommy Denander, was memorialized on the CD and DVD Live at Firefest. Jamison performed his final show just two days before his untimely passing on September 1st, 2014.
Jimi Jamison’s family and friends have worked diligently to keep his memory and music at the forefront. Several all-star “Jam for Jimi” concerts have been staged in Memphis to raise money for Jamison’s favorite charity, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. A stretch of Highland Street in Memphis was named “Jimi Jamison Street” in 2022. That same year, the first of several CD releases from the Jimi Jamison Archives, “Rock Hard”, presented his 1990 solo debut album as it was originally intended. Jamison was inducted into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame in 2023. Memorabilia, including a fan-funded bronze bust, is on permanent display at the iconic Memphis venue, Lafayette’s Music Room. The tenth anniversary of Jamison’s passing was acknowledged by Representative Steve Cohen in the United States House of Representatives. Jimi’s shelved 2008 country rock collaboration with Jim Peterik, entitled “Jimmy Wayne Jamison”, was unvaulted at the same time. Members of Jamison’s solo bands continue to play together in both .38 Special and Starship. A film, Resonating Voices: The Jimi Jamison Documentary, is in the early stages of development.
2025 brings the most exciting Jimi Jamison Archives release yet, one which his fans have been anticipating for 25 years: the never-before-issued live album he recorded in 1998. With a setlist drawn from Survivor, his solo career, and even a cover of The Doors’ “Riders on the Storm”, “1998 Live Hits” ensures that Jimi Jamison’s strong, clear voice will continue to thrill fans worldwide.
Line-up:
Jimi Jamison – Lead vocals
Jeff Adams – Bass and vocals
Chris Adamson – Guitars
Hal Butler – Keyboards and vocals
Pete Mendillo – Drums
Wes Henley – Guitars
