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Jim Byrnes made his mark as an actor and is best known for his roles on the TV series Wiseguy and HIghlander. Concurrently, he also has been a musician with root in the blues that go back to his days growing up in St. Louis in the 1960's where he saw such artists as Jimmy Reed and B.B. King perform, Everywhere West, his fourth collaboration with producer Steve Dawson, is an acknowledgment of his roots that mixes performances of blues classics with original material. Byrnes is an assured singer and guitarist, riding the groove of Reed's "Take Out Some Insurance on Me." Robert Johnson's "From Four Until Late" gets a shot of Dixieland swing, putting an exciting spin on the blues standard. Byrnes delivers a heartfelt version of the "He Was a Friend of Mine," aided by Dawson's slide guitar. As a songwriter, Byrnes contributes three tunes that hold their own with the other songs. "Hot as a Pistol" is a spirited opener, while "Me and Piney Brown" evokes 1930's Kansas City and the spirit of Big Joe Turner. WIth Everywhere West, Byrnes shows the blues roll on.