Blues Musician. He mastered both piano and guitar early in life. His playing was unparalleled for rhythmic unpredictability and emotional effect. In 1931 he recorded twenty-six masters for Paramount and was not fully paid for this work. He was ordained a Baptist minister in 1932 and supported himself by preaching and playing church concerts in the forties. He became an ordained Methodist Minister in 1946, preached until 1964 when he again started in the music business doing folk festivals and college concerts as the blues were revived. The rediscover of his music at the time was a great influence on many artists and groups. The English group Cream, covered his song “I’m So Glad” and his most notable song “Devil Got My Woman” was covered by many and more recently by Beck. Illness forced him to retire and he died from a prolonged battle with cancer. In 1992 he was inducted into the Blues Foundation's Hall of Fame and in 2000, the eighteen only remaining Paramount recordings were released on an album entitled, “Skip James Today”. He is considered the greatest Blues man of the Delta.
Blues Musician. He mastered both piano and guitar early in life. His playing was unparalleled for rhythmic unpredictability and emotional effect. In 1931 he recorded twenty-six masters for Paramount and was not fully paid for this work. He was ordained a Baptist minister in 1932 and supported himself by preaching and playing church concerts in the forties. He became an ordained Methodist Minister in 1946, preached until 1964 when he again started in the music business doing folk festivals and college concerts as the blues were revived. The rediscover of his music at the time was a great influence on many artists and groups. The English group Cream, covered his song “I’m So Glad” and his most notable song “Devil Got My Woman” was covered by many and more recently by Beck. Illness forced him to retire and he died from a prolonged battle with cancer. In 1992 he was inducted into the Blues Foundation's Hall of Fame and in 2000, the eighteen only remaining Paramount recordings were released on an album entitled, “Skip James Today”. He is considered the greatest Blues man of the Delta.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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