Skip James

Nehemiah Curtis "Skip" James (June 9, 1902 – October 3, 1969) was an American Delta blues singer, guitarist, pianist and songwriter. AllMusic stated: "This emotional, lyrical performer was a talented blues guitarist and arranger with an impressive body of work."

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".

Birth and Death Data: Born June 9, 1902 (Bentonia), Died October 3, 1969 (Philadelphia)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1931

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, piano

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca L 765 10-in. February 1931 22.20 blues Skip James vocalist, instrumentalist, piano  
Decca L 766 10-in. February 1931 If you haven't any hay, get on down the road Skip James vocalist, instrumentalist, piano  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "James, Skip," accessed November 9, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/204917.

James, Skip. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 9, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/204917.

"James, Skip." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 9 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/204917

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