Skip James
Nehemiah Curtis "Skip" James (June 9, 1902 – October 3, 1969) was an American Delta blues singer, guitarist, pianist and songwriter. With his ghostly, plaintive falsetto and mastery of open tunings, James devised one of the most singular sounds in blues history, leaving behind a body of work that has influenced everyone from Canned Heat to practitioners of American primitive guitar.
Skip James | |
|---|---|
Skip James at the Newport Folk Festival, 1964 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Nehemiah Curtis James |
| Born | June 9, 1902 Bentonia, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | October 3, 1969 (aged 67) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Genres | Delta blues |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Instrument(s) |
|
| Years active | 1931, 1964–1969 |
| Labels | |
His guitar playing is noted for its dark, minor-key sound, played in an open D-minor tuning with an intricate fingerpicking technique. James first recorded for Paramount Records in 1931, but these recordings sold poorly, having been released during the Great Depression, and he drifted into obscurity.
After a long absence from the public eye, James was rediscovered in 1964 by blues enthusiasts including John Fahey, helping further the blues and folk music revival of the 1950s and early 1960s. During this period, James appeared at folk and blues festivals, gave concerts around the country, and recorded several albums for various record labels. His songs have influenced generations of musicians and have been adapted by numerous artists. He has been hailed as "one of the seminal figures of the blues".