Jimmy Wayne Jamison was born in rural Durant, Mississippi, but liked to think of himself as a Memphis, Tennessee, native, as he and his mother Dorothy moved there when he was one day old.

[4] After the second sessions recording with David Beaver, both Jamison and Cathey teamed up with guitarist Buddy Davis and formed the Memphis southern rock band Target in the mid 1970s.

Having success, the band released the albums Target (1976) and Captured (1977) on A&M Records with the singles "Are you Ready", "Let Me Live" and "It is Only Love",[5] opening concerts for Black Sabbath, Boston, and KISS.

[6] In 1982, Jamison joined guitarist Mandy Meyer (ex-Krokus), guitarist/keyboardist Jack Holder (ex-Black Oak Arkansas), bassist Tommy Keiser, and drummer Jeff Klaven in the band Cobra, managed by Butch Stone (who also managed Target as well as Krokus and Black Oak Arkansas), replacing original vocalist Tommy Andris.

listed the album at number one in its import charts[7] with the song "Blood On Your Money" getting MTV airplay, being Jamison's first music video.

Meanwhile, First Strike was only a moderate commercial success, and the band split at the end of the year, primarily due to each member wanting to do different things.

The band had recently parted ways with original singer Dave Bickler, due to his vocal cord injuries that required a lengthy convalescence.

His first recording with the band was "The Moment of Truth" (The Karate Kid theme song), which reached number 63 on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 1984.

This album also featured Jamison making songwriting contributions to the band's repertoire, including the single "Man Against the World" (number 86).

[23] Also in 1989, Jamison briefly united with his Target bandmates for a "10-Year Reunion" concert in Memphis and was part of the New Year's Eve celebration in the Crown Plaza.

[25] While neither the album nor any of its singles made much impact on the charts, the songs "Rock Hard" and "Taste of Love" were used in episodes of Baywatch, and the latter was also used in the 1992 film Jersey Girl.

During this period, the Scotti Brothers label released two Survivor compilation albums featuring songs from Jamison's tenure.

[27] [better source needed] The solo album Empires, featuring a re-recorded version of "I'm Always Here" and a cover of "Love is Alive" by Gary Wright, was released under the name Jimi Jamison's Survivor in October 1999.

[citation needed] Jamison released the solo album Crossroads Moment in Europe in July 2008 and in America the following year.

A companion album of outtakes called Extra Moments was released in 2010, the additional tracks had been compiled by Jamison and Peterik as a benefit for the music website melodicrock.com.

[32] The two singers shared lead vocals on songs written by Richard Page (Mr Mister), Randy Goodrum (Toto, Steve Perry), John Waite, and other notable rock songwriters.

[36] In November of that year he performed Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger" (on which he did not sing originally) for boxer Manny Pacquiao's entrance into the ring for his bout against Shane Mosley at MGM Grand Las Vegas.

[citation needed] Jamison's last show was on August 30, 2014, in Morgan Hill, California, at the CANcert benefit event during the ARTTEC Summer Concert Series (arttecusa.com).

The benefit raised funds and awareness for two non-profits supporting cancer patients as well as career training opportunities for high school students.

Survivor's 58-minute set consisted of "Feels Like Love", "Broken Promises", "Take You on a Saturday", "High on You", "Rockin' into the Night", "The Search Is Over", "Rebel Girl", "I Can't Hold Back", "Burning Heart", "Poor Man's Son", "It's the Singer Not the Song" and ended with "Eye of the Tiger".

[39] Throughout his career, Jamison provided background vocals for several bands and artists such as Degarmo & Key (This Ain't Hollywood, 1980, Heat it Up, 1993 and To Extremes, 1994); Gary Chapman (Sincerely Yours, 1981); Mylon LeFevre & Broken Heart (Brand New Start, 1982 and Sheep In Wolves Clothing, 1985); Krokus (Headhunter, 1983 and The Blitz, 1984); Molly Hatchet (The Deed is Done, 1984); and The Blackwood Brothers (All Their Best, 1984).

[41][42] Frontman Billy Gibbons referred to Jamison as the "fourth member" of the group after working, touring and hanging out with them in multiple occasions.

(Demons, 1991),[46] Jamison provided backing vocals for long-time Heart guitarist Howard Leese's solo album Secret Weapon (2009).

[48] He also recorded the charity single "One Family" in 2011 with the all-star ensemble United Rockers 4 U, which also included Bobby Kimball, Don Dokken, Eddie Money, Jeff Paris, Paul Shortino, Phil Lewis, Richie Kotzen, and Robin McAuley.

When not traveling or performing, Jamison enjoyed gardening, throwing horseshoes, various sports such as tennis and golf, and spending time with his family.