James Hooker
After lunch. Mallorca, Spain. Photo credit: Martin Adam
Born July 20, 1948, Winnsboro, South Carolina
Birth name "James Hugh Brown Jr." (a perfectly good name)
Used professionally the name "James Brown" from 1962-1975 (it worked)
Changed name to "James Hooker" in 1975. ("James Brown"stopped working)
James has been in the music business, as of this date, fifty five years. So far.
Immersed at a very early age in many genres of music ranging from Country, jazz, blues, rock and roll, symphonic - you name it- he was well equipped when he embarked as a studio musician in Memphis, Muscle Shoals, and Nashville, with occasional foray's into the studio of L.A., New York, London and Ireland.
James co-founded the group “The Amazing Rhythm Aces” in 1975. With them, he won a Grammy Award:
(“Best Country Vocal Group - 1976 “The End Is Not In Sight (The Cowboy Tune)”
James also spent many years on the road playing acoustic/electric piano and Hammond B-3 with
many of the Artists he recorded with, from Al Green, John Prine, Jerry Lee Lewis, Steve Winwood, Bobby Bare, The Everly Brothers,
Don Williams, Eric Clapton (The A.R.M.S. tours). In 1987, after Winwood, James signed on as Bandleader
for Texan Nanci Griffith, where he remained for 20 years (counting a brief, but enjoyable stint with Pam Tillis when Griffith took a year off). During this 20 year period, while home in Nashville and Muscle Shoals, he was rarely not in the studio. A high point during these breaks from the road, in his words, "recording and hanging with John Hyatt with Glyn Johns producing - I mean, DAMN! - pinch me".
These names only scratch the surface.
In 2005, James moved to Ireland, and eventually, in 2007, James retired from road work and added Majorca, Spain to the list of places he hangs his hat. On the island of Majorca, he’s in his home studio most every day, writing, recording, and yelling into a microphone.
Birth name "James Hugh Brown Jr." (a perfectly good name)
Used professionally the name "James Brown" from 1962-1975 (it worked)
Changed name to "James Hooker" in 1975. ("James Brown"stopped working)
James has been in the music business, as of this date, fifty five years. So far.
Immersed at a very early age in many genres of music ranging from Country, jazz, blues, rock and roll, symphonic - you name it- he was well equipped when he embarked as a studio musician in Memphis, Muscle Shoals, and Nashville, with occasional foray's into the studio of L.A., New York, London and Ireland.
James co-founded the group “The Amazing Rhythm Aces” in 1975. With them, he won a Grammy Award:
(“Best Country Vocal Group - 1976 “The End Is Not In Sight (The Cowboy Tune)”
James also spent many years on the road playing acoustic/electric piano and Hammond B-3 with
many of the Artists he recorded with, from Al Green, John Prine, Jerry Lee Lewis, Steve Winwood, Bobby Bare, The Everly Brothers,
Don Williams, Eric Clapton (The A.R.M.S. tours). In 1987, after Winwood, James signed on as Bandleader
for Texan Nanci Griffith, where he remained for 20 years (counting a brief, but enjoyable stint with Pam Tillis when Griffith took a year off). During this 20 year period, while home in Nashville and Muscle Shoals, he was rarely not in the studio. A high point during these breaks from the road, in his words, "recording and hanging with John Hyatt with Glyn Johns producing - I mean, DAMN! - pinch me".
These names only scratch the surface.
In 2005, James moved to Ireland, and eventually, in 2007, James retired from road work and added Majorca, Spain to the list of places he hangs his hat. On the island of Majorca, he’s in his home studio most every day, writing, recording, and yelling into a microphone.