Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Jim was raised in a large family of aunts, uncles, and a ton of cousins. They all lived near each other and attended the same church, where they took over the music department and also served as deacons, ushers, Sunday school teachers, youth pastors, and wherever else they were needed.
In 1981, Jim left to attend Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida, where he studied music and played bass in several groups during his college years. After college, he met his wife, Tracy, started working at WCIE FM, and continued to play bass at the 10,000-seat church.
Jim currently lives in Anderson, South Carolina, with his wife and two kids, while their two older children live in Reno, Nevada, and Nashville, Tennessee. After 30 years, Jim left radio to work on his voice-over business, Mann Made Productions, as well as help with the business side of his wife’s after-school care. Currently, Jim co-hosts My Pleasure: The Unofficial Chick-fil-A Podcast with Alison Storm, a former radio coworker.