Jim Cara

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Jim Cara (born December 18, 1960) is an American guitar-builder and an early proponent of MIDI-based online musical collaboration.

Cara learned the musical instrument business as an apprentice and stock-boy at The Drum Shop, his father's music shop in Wilmington, Delaware. With the advent of MIDI music technology in the 1980s, Cara began experimenting with digital collaboration. He developed a computer-to-computer system that allowed him and video-game composer George Sanger to create music together remotely. He also partnered with Rusty n Edie's BBS^[1] to found what is claimed to be the first pre-internet online system for collaborative recording via MIDI. In 1994, he became director of Digital Music communication at online service provider Prodigy.^[2]^[3] At Prodigy, he and former Twisted Sister musician Eddie Ojeda expanded the ISP's musical section. As Prodigy declined, Cara formed Caramedia Inc., a multi-media and marketing company.

Cara sustained a serious head injury during a ski flying competition in 1999, and returned to the musical instrument business as a service technician for guitars at Accent Music in Wilmington. He was also a motorcycle drag racer, and was one of the first to race the Suzuki Hayabusa in 1999. After attending several races held by the American Motorcyclist Association, the AMA hired Cara as the director of Marketing and Communication for its Prostar Motorcycle Drag Racing series.^[4] In 1999 he also received the Delaware Governor's Achievement Award.

In 2006, Cara began a new business, Original Cara Hot Rod Guitars. The company makes new guitars look and play like well-broken-in vintage instruments. Cara has recreated the famous guitars of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy and others.

Cara is currently the host and producer of the Guitar Talk radio program, which airs on WVLT of Vineland, New Jersey.