Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZTALLEY, James(b 9 Nov. '44, Mehan OK) Country singer-songwriter steeped in rural traditions, with threads of Jimmie Rodgers, Texas swing, country blues and Woody Guthrie. Worked as a carpenter, social worker and on public health programmes in Nashville; prod. self-marketed Got No Bread, No Milk, No Money, But We Sure Got A Lot Of Love '74 with top Nashville session players; it was picked up by Capitol and he built up cult following. Tryin' Like The Devil '76 was a concept album about the plight of the working man and disparity between rich and poor. Dropped by Capitol '78, continued to work as a singing troubadour, often self-marketing his own albums and gaining extra distribution through the German Bear Family label (see that entry). Other albums include BlackJack Choir '77, Ain't It Something '78 on Capitol; American Originals '86, Got No Bread/Tryin' Like The Devil '89, Blackjack Choir/Ain't It Something '89, Love Songs And The Blues '89, The Road To Torreon '92, all on Bear Family. |