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Tuesday 14 May 2024

R.I.P. - Jimmy James (13 Sep 1940 - 14 May 2024)


We have received more sad news, Jimmy James (of Jimmy James & The Vagabonds fame) has died today aged 83. No further details are currently available.
Born Michael James Francis in Kingston, Jamaica in 1940, he recorded in Jamaica in the early 60s and had a local hit with a self-written song "Come Softly To Me" in 1962.

The Vagabonds were formed in 1960 and James joined them in 1964 and they set off to the UK, initially for a six month tour but ended up staying. They were signed to Pye Records and  within a matter of weeks released their first single. An album, "The New Religion", followed in 1966, essentially an album of cover versions. Several tracks from it have featured on Northern Soul dancefloors over the years, particularly "This Heart Of Mine", a Barrett Strong song originally recorded by The Artistics on Okeh in 1965.

Their first hit came in 1968 with a cover of Neil Diamond's "Red Red Wine" which peaked at #36 on UK pop chart (a big hit for UB40 in the 80s of course). It was another eight years before their next with "I'll Go Where The Music Takes Me" (#23) and "Now Is The Time" (#5) both in 1976. However, by this time it was a completely different set of Vagabonds as the original group disbanded in 1970 and were replaced by white musicians.

The group supported many acts in the mid 60s including The Who, The Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart, Sonny & Cher. Their second album was a live album recorded at The Marquee Club with The Alan Brown Set. "London Swings - Live at the Marquee Club". They continue to perform to this day undergoing various changes in personnel.

One of Jimmy James' favourites on the Northern Soul scene is "A Man Like Me" produced by Biddu and released on Stateside in 1972. Below is a live recording of it from 2004 along with a limited playlist as his digital material is scant but there was a recording "Live On Air 1966-1969" which sounds like live radio broadcasts, from which we've taken a few cover versions.

We found footage of him performing in May 2022 at a weekender at Butlins, Minehead, performing a cover of The Tams "Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy" at a spritely 81 years of age.

UPDATE: We have subsequently found a 2003 compilation "Sock It To 'em J.J. - The Soul Years" which appears to have most of his 60s and early 70s recordings, 49 tracks in total including 7 live recordings. 


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1 comment:

USMAN47 said...

We are all getting older and we are sure to see artists that we knew and appreciated in our youth disappear. This is the case for Jimmy who I was able to perform live in Ostend. Superb performance!!!
Another part of life that is collapsing.

R.I.P. Jimmy

Yves