While still in high school, Van Cleve became a member of Ric-o-chet and Lou Reid and Carolina, prominent bands in the national bluegrass scene at the time.
[citation needed] In 1998, banjo player Barry Abernathy, singer/guitarist Steve Gulley, and Grammy-winning mandolinist (formerly of Alison Krauss and Union Station) Adam Steffey began plans to form a band.
Van Cleve has played a major role in the success and popularity of the band, as well as a driving force in creating more complex musical arrangements.
Besides producing Mountain Heart's That Just Happened and his solo album, he has produced work by Cindy G, Carrie Hassler And Hard Rain, and Clay Jones[11] In 2008, Van Cleve was recruited to write and record a new Awards Show Theme Song by the IBMA (an honor previously held by the 12-time Grammy winner, Jerry Douglas, and Nashville recording legend, Mark O'Connor before him).
Ron Block (of Alison Krauss and Union Station), and Sierra produced her debut solo project and commissioned Jim to write the song, which eventually was entitled "Smashville".