Skip James

Nehemiah Curtis "Skip" James (June 9, 1902 – October 3, 1969) was an American Delta blues singer, guitarist, pianist and songwriter.

 Biography 
 Early years 
James was born near Bentonia, Mississippi. He worked on road construction in the early 1920s, and wrote his earliest song, "Illinois Blues", about his experience as a worker. He began playing guitar in open D-minor tuning with three fingers.

 1920s and '30s 
Skip James traveled to Grafton, Wisconsin to record for Paramount. James recorded blues and spirituals and cover versions of other songs.

The Great Depression happened just as James' records were put on the market. Not many people bought them because of this and James had to give up Blues music and worked in a church with his father.

 After the depression
For the next thirty years, James did not record any songs. In July 1964, James started playing again and he recorded for the Takoma, Melodeon, and Vanguard labels and played until his death in 1969.

Discography
Paramount 78s: 1931
Complete 1931 Session Yazoo, 1986
Complete Recorded Works (1931) Document, 1990
The Complete Early Recordings of Skip James - 1930 Yazoo, 1994
Cypress Grove Blues Snapper Music Group, 2004
Illinois Blues Universe, 2004
The Complete 1931 Recordings Body & Soul, 2005
Hard Time Killin' Floor Yazoo, 2005

After the depression: 1964-1969
Greatest of the Delta Blues Singers Biograph, 1964
She Lyin Adelphi, 1964 (first released: Genes, 1996)
Skip James Today! Vanguard, 1965
Devil Got My Woman  Vanguard, 1968
I'm So Glad Vanguard, 1978
Live: Boston, 1964 & Philadelphia, 1966  Document, 1994
Skip's Piano Blues, 1964 (Genes, 1998)
Blues From the Delta Vanguard, 1998 (two unreleased recordings)
The Complete Bloomington, Indiana Concert - March 30, 1968 Document, 1999
Skip's Guitar Blues, 1964(?) (Genes, 1999)
Studio Sessions: Rare and Unreleased, 1967 (Vanguard, 2003)
Hard Time Killing Floor Blues Biograph, 2003
Heroes of the Blues: The Very Best of Skip James Shout!, 2003
Hard Time Universe, 2003

 Other websites 
 Illustrated Skip James discography
 Interview with Skip James' surviving cousin 
 Can't Find No Heaven: The Mysteries of Skip James  by Matt R. Lohr, a speculative study of Skip James' personality

Category:Blues guitarists
Category:Blues pianists
Category:American guitarists
Category:1902 births
Category:1969 deaths
Category:Singers from Mississippi
Category:Musicians from Mississippi
Category:American blues singers