Jim Reilley, a producer and bassist, is widely recognized as a founding member of the influential folk rock band The New Dylans, alongside his musical partner Reese Campbell. Established in 1986, the band gained significant traction throughout the 1990s, touring extensively across the United States. Their music garnered critical acclaim, with Rolling Stone labeling their songs as “offbeat classics” and receiving favorable reviews from numerous major music publications and newspapers. The Village Voice recognized The New Dylans by placing them in the top 5 EPs of 1986 in their esteemed Pazz and Jop Poll. They cultivated a dedicated following within the emerging AAA American radio format and made notable appearances on key radio shows, including NPR’s All Things Considered, Idiot’s Delight with Vin Scelsa, Danny Bonaduce’s WLUP show, Mountain Stage, World Café, and Acoustic Café. Michael Stipe of R.E.M. declared The New Dylans his favorite band of 1986, and Natalie Merchant of 10,000 Maniacs frequently joined them on stage for performances.

After touring for nine years with The New Dylans, often playing more than 175 dates a year and sharing the stage with iconic acts such as The Band, Reilley relocated to Nashville. There, he signed a writing and production deal with Curb Records. As a songwriter, he has had over 50 songs recorded by various artists, including Hal Ketchum, Sam Bush, Vince Gill, Lauren Daigle, Hillary Scott, Claudia Church, LeAnn Rimes, Cowboy Crush, Jana Kramer, and Tim O’Brien. He also achieved a European hit with Danish rock legend Peter Belli. The albums he produced have won Best Album awards at the Kerrville Folk Festival and Merlefest, as well as accolades from The John Lennon Songwriting Competition, with many receiving substantial streaming success.

In 2016, The New Dylans reunited and released the critically acclaimed album “Meta.” The process of their reunion, from songwriting to recording and touring, was documented by Nashville’s daily newspaper The Tennessean. This endeavor culminated in the film "Band On The Brink," which explored the challenges and successes of releasing music in an era marked by declining sales. The documentary has won several prestigious journalism awards and remains available on YouTube.

Throughout his career, Reilley has collaborated with an impressive array of artists, including Sheryl Crow, Hal Ketchum, David Mead, Al Perkins, Pam Tillis, Lauren Daigle, Lee Brice, John Osborn of Brothers Osborn, Pure Prairie League, LeAnn Rimes, Poco, Daniel Tashian, Hillary Scott, Carly Pearce, Jana Kramer, Linda Davis, Vince Gill, Cheetah Chrome of The Dead Boys, The Mavericks, Jack Ingram, Leah Andreone, Diamond Rio, Hank Williams Jr., Jett Williams, Minton Sparks, Joy Lynn White, Sam Bush, Tim O’Brien, and frequently works with members of bands such as The Jayhawks, Wilco, Genesis, Cheap Trick, Buckcherry, The Milk Carton Kids, John Mellencamp, The Doobie Brothers, The Dead Boys, Counting Crows, The Wallflowers, Richard Lloyd of Television, Joe Perry Band, The Black Crowes, Old Crow Medicine Show, Poco, The Cowsills, The Bangles, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Jack White's band, Ten Years After, The Black Keys, The Band, The Beach Boys, 10,000 Maniacs, and R.E.M.

Currently, Reilley is concentrating primarily on producing, focusing on emerging rock and Americana artists, while also participating in various recording sessions. He continues to compose original instrumental music for film and television. Additionally, he is a member of the experimental noise rock ensemble The Birdwatcher Experiment and led the Grammy-nominated Nashville indie label Plowboy Records in 2020.