Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

JAMES, Skip

(b Nehemiah Curtis James, 9 June '02, Bentonia MS; d 3 Oct. '69, Philadelphia) Blues singer, guitarist with unique style, 'pinching' to get octaves; played piano almost as well: among the most infl. of all the original bluesmen. Raised on plantation; father abandoned family (later became Baptist minister); childhood nickname was 'Skippy'. Studied guitar from age eight, learned basic piano in high school, played piano and organ in church. Hoboed through the South, working jukes, road houses etc; studied at divinity school in Yazoo City mid-'20s; recorded for Paramount '31 (26 sides for $40; they're still selling). Formed gospel group, toured churches '31--5; ordained Baptist minister '32, Methodist minister '46, worked outside music '50s, returned '64 in coffee houses, Newport Folk Festival '64; toured with Mississippi John Hurt '64; Newport gig on Vanguard, '66 gig on Verve. Good profile in Peter Guralnick's Feel Like Goin' Home '71. Said to have infl. Robert Johnson; Samuel B. Charters described his 'intense lyricism'; 'I'm So Glad' covered by Cream, 'I'd Rather Be The Devil' by John Martyn etc; his originals easily outshone them. CDs on Vanguard incl. Devil Got My Woman; The Greatest Of The Delta Blues Singers now on Biograph made '64 in Falls Church VA; The Complete Early Recordings on Yazoo. Skip's Piano Blues '96 on Edsel UK was a previously unreleased '64 session, his hands creating call-and- response patterns on the keyboard.