12 Facts About Homesick James

Homesick James was an American blues musician known for his mastery of the slide guitar.

Homesick James worked with his cousin, Elmore James, and with Sonny Boy Williamson II.

Homesick James was born in Somerville, Tennessee, United States, the son of Cordellia Henderson and Plez Williamson Rivers, who were both musicians.

Homesick James stated that he was born in 1905,1910, or 1914, while his union records give 1924.

Homesick James developed a self-taught style of slide guitar through playing at local dances in his teens.

Homesick James claimed to have played with Yank Rachell, Sleepy John Estes, Blind Boy Fuller, Sonny Boy Williamson II and Big Joe Williams, among others.

Homesick James claimed to be the older cousin of Elmore James, to have bought James his first guitar, and to have taught him how to play slide.

Homesick James may have first recorded for RCA Victor in 1937, but this is unconfirmed, and by 1938 may have begun playing electric guitar.

Homesick James's first known recordings were in 1952 for Chance Records, recording the tracks "Lonesome Ole Train" and "Homesick", which gave him his stage name.

Homesick James recorded a 1964 album for Prestige Records, Blues on the South Side, including another of his best-known covers, "Stones in My Passway", and some tracks for Vanguard, which are available on the compilation album Chicago: The Blues Today.

Homesick James is mentioned by name in the 1989 song "Fergus Sings the Blues" by the Scottish rock band Deacon Blue, with the lyric "Homesick James, my biggest influence".

From 1972 through 2006, Homesick James lived in Chicago, Nashville, Atlanta, Fresno and finally Springfield, Missouri, where he died at the age of 96.