JAMES SOLBERG BIOGRAPHY
GRAMMY nominated, two time winner of the prestigious W.C. HANDY AWARD for "BLUES BAND OF THE YEAR", JAMES SOLBERG is now releasing his long awaited fift [+]JAMES SOLBERG BIOGRAPHY
GRAMMY nominated, two time winner of the prestigious W.C. HANDY AWARD for "BLUES BAND OF THE YEAR", JAMES SOLBERG is now releasing his long awaited fifth solo release, "REAL TIME", on the BLUES ECLIPSE label. Already being referred to as "unlike any blues record you've ever heard" this incredible CD is the culmination of JAMES' "extraordinary guitar work, vocals and stellar songwriting".
Born in 1951, James first learned to play 5-string banjo, violin and guitar as a young kid. His real musical career began in the mid'60s while performing in R&R cover bands around the Midwest. At age 15 he left school and headed for the source of the music he loved most...Chicago. He got to be friends with EDDIE TAYLOR, who showed him a lot of tricks on guitar. During this time, Solberg played with JOHNNY YOUNG, BIG WALTER HORTON and JIMMY REED, as well as with TAYLOR. Moving to Milwaukee in the early '70s he formed a rockin' blues band with JOHNNY WINTER bassist JON PARIS. Also living in Milwaukee at that time was LUTHER ALLISON, just signed to the MOTOWN label, who would frequent the Monday night jams held at BROTHERS LOUNGE. SOLBERG and PARIS were soon opening for LUTHER on the college "showcase" circuit and before long JAMES became a member of LUTHER'S band. Touring together from '75 till '79, they released "NIGHTLIFE" and "LUTHER ALLISON THE MOTOWN YEARS 1972-1976" (Motown- the latter released in '94), "LIVE AT MONTREAUX '76-'94" (released in '95), "LIVE IN PARIS" and "LUTHER ALLISON LIVE". The next three years, JAMES was touring with "Midwest legends" SHORT STUFF, including JUNIOR BRANTLEY, (THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS and JIMMY VAUGHN) and harp virtuoso JIM LIBAN and recorded the album "TALK IS CHEAP", the title track later recorded by guitar legend, JOHNNY WINTER. In 1981, after a decade of touring more than 300 one niters a year, SOLBERG packed it up and headed for the "North Country" to ride and build Harleys and Indians. As a machinist and mechanic at the local Harley dealership he began designing and fabricating his own innovative MC parts. Having "dried out" JAMES was back on the road with THE LEGENDARY BLUES BAND, featuring MUDDY WATERS' alumni, PINETOP PER
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