Birth name Marion Agness James Years active 1960s–2015 Record label Various | Occupation(s) Singer, songwriter Labels Various Genres Blues, Rhythm and blues | |
 | ||
Born October 8, 1934
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. ( 1934-10-08 ) Died 31 December 2015, Nashville, Tennessee, United States Albums Northside Soul, Marion James & The Hypnotics, Essence Similar Bob Babbitt, Beegie Adair, Jack Pearson, Reese Wynans | ||
Marion Agness James (October 8, 1934 – December 31, 2015) was an American blues singer and songwriter. She was considered Nashville's "Queen of the Blues." Her career spanned sixty years, and she had a hit with her self-penned song, "That's My Man".
Contents
A flamboyant character, James was known to sign her name adding "The Blues Queen" and often wore a tiara at her live performances. In 2015, she was officially designated Nashville's "Queen of the Blues", by the office of the mayor.
Life and career
Marion James was born in Nashville, Tennessee, United States, in a musical family. Her mother was the pianist at her local church, and her sister sang with the Clara Ward Singers. Some of her cousins were professional musicians, and James herself sought inspiration from listening to blues singers at vaudeville shows and her mother's own record collection. James came to fame in the blues clubs of Jefferson Street in the early 1960s. Before she earned the title of Nashville’s Queen of the Blues, she was called “House Rockin James.”
Jimi Hendrix was a member of her band when he first started playing the guitar professionally, and she also had Billy Cox in her backing line-up. In 1966, James had a hit with "That's My Man," a song she composed herself and which was released on Excello Records. She continued to perform until the mid 1980s, when she took a break from traveling. By the early part of the 1990s, James met Casey Lutton and she joined his group known as the Hypnotics. In 1996, Appaloosa Records released the album Marion James & the Hypnotics. Since that time, James shared the stage with many notable performers including Chick Willis, Rufus Thomas, and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown.
In 2003, James released Essence on Soulfood Records, and amongst those playing on the record were Beegie Adair, Reese Wynans, Jack Pearson (The Allman Brothers), the bassist Bob Babbitt, and drummer Chucki Burke.
Northside Soul was issued in 2012 on EllerSoul Records, and it reached number 10 on the Living Blues chart.
In 2013, she recorded "Back in the Day" at Washington's Jefferson Street Sound recording studios. It related to the time when Jefferson Street was lined with smoke filled nightclubs clubs, which played host to Little Richard, B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix and herself.
James helped retired musicians in need, by founding the Marion James Aid Society. In addition, for more than 30 years, James organized a Musicians Reunion Benefit. She led a campaign to erect two statues on Jefferson Street of Jimi Hendrix and Little Richard. Her career was highlighted in a "Night Train to Nashville: Music City Rhythm & Blues 1945-1970" exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
She died at the age of 81 in her hometown, from the effects of a stroke on December 31, 2015.
Songs
Corrupted WorldNorthside Soul · 2012
I Know a Good ThingNorthside Soul · 2012
Mean Time ManMarion James & The Hypnotics · 2014