Formed a few years after another Jim Basnight project called the Rockinghams started up, the Jim Basnight Thing allowed Basnight to meld his pop songs with the influence of older American music forms, such as blues and jazz. The band finds guitarist and vocalist Basnight joined by violinist Jeff Sick, trumpeter Jim Knodle, bassist Mike Rollins, and drummer Dave Christianson. After one year together, the band had an album, The Jim Basnight Thing (1997).

The Jim Basnight Thing completed their first album which was released in 1997 on Band Together Records. Two songs from the album, Mexico and No More War, were featured in the film #Friendly Fire, directed by American Film Institute Award winner Christy Davis. ~ Joslyn Layne, Rovi