Skip James

Nehemiah ' Skip ' James ( June 9, Bentonia, Philadelphia, 1902 – October 3, 1969) was an American Delta Blues: song writer, singer, guitarist and pianist.

James was born near Bentonia. His father was a stoker of illegal spirits, who had converted and preacher had become. James had various jobs and began in the 1920s, playing guitar and writing songs. In 1931, most of James ' music recorded, in the Paramountstudios of Grafton, Wisconsin. The recordings, however, were not a commercial success.

After the shooting of James disappeared from the musical scene in 1931 Grafton until he was rediscovered in 1960 by three blues fans. In 1964, he played at the Newport Folk Festival. James died at the age of 67 from cancer.
 * Devil Got My Woman (1931, Grafton)
 * Cypress Grove Blues (1931, Grafton)
 * Cherry Ball Blues (1931, Grafton)
 * Illinois Blues (1931, Grafton)
 * Four O'Clock Blues (1931, Grafton)
 * Hard-Luck Child (1931, Grafton)
 * Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues (1931, Grafton)
 * Yola My Blues Away (1931, Grafton)
 * Jesus Is A Mighty Good Leader (1931, Grafton)
 * Be Ready When He Comes (1931, Grafton)
 * Drunken Spree (1931, Grafton)
 * I'm So Smooth (1931, Grafton)
 * Special Rider Blues (1931, Grafton)
 * How Long Buck (1931, Grafton)
 * Little Cow And Calf Is Gonna That Blues (1931, Grafton)
 * What I Am To Do Blues (1931, Grafton)
 * 22-20 Blues (1931, Grafton)
 * If You Haven't Any Hay Get On Down The Road (1931, Grafton)

James ' songs have been covered by, among others, Cassandra Wilson, Deep Purple , Lou Reed(Shades of Deep Purple) and Beck. In the series The Blues documentary films that produced Martin Scorsese , Wim Wenders made the film The Soul of a Man about the musical career of James (and J.B. Lenoir). In Joel and Ethan Coens movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? , the song Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues used, covered byChris Thomas King. Devil Got My Woman appears on the soundtrack of Ghost World .