Paul James

Paul James (born January 18, 1951, in Toronto, Canada) is a Juno Award-winning blues guitarist, vocalist and songwriter.

Paul James, born Paul James Vigna, grew up in the Bathurst and Bloor Street area of Toronto called midtown.

He graduated from Harbord Collegiate Institute.

He began playing the guitar at the age of twelve, having first learned to play the accordion at the age of seven, through which he also learned to read music.

He had taken up playing the accordion because his family could not afford a piano.

James began playing professionally in the mid-1960s, while in high school.

He achieved recognition as a member of a band formed with his classmates called 'Can't Explain'.

The very young group of 14 year olds were asked to play a couple of songs at the Devil's Den, located below the Avenue Road Ballroom.

The older crowd of Hippies gave them an ovation which gave them the courage go back to the Devils Den.

This time Paul James and his drummer John Butt sat in with The Mynah Birds, (Rick James was the lead singer, Neil Young was Rhythm guitar, and Bruce Palmer was bass guitar, Neil & Bruce would later go the USA to play in the group, Buffalo Springfield), again there was great applause.

Paul James and John Butt were invited by the owner of the Devils Den to come back once more, this time they sat in with The Sparrow (who would later form the band Steppenwolf).

James started playing in Toronto bars full-time following his high school graduation.

He answered an add put up by Frank Mehan in the Long & McQuades Music Store, who was looking for a guitarist who could also sing R&B in his Trio Spring Fever.

James was just 17yrs.

old.

The age limit for bars at that time was 21.

After playing many different bars around Ontario, Spring Fever became the house band, for nearly two years, at the Bermuda Tavern in Toronto, playing six forty-minute sets per night, six nights a week, plus two additional sets on Saturday afternoon.

While playing at the Bermuda Tavern, James would regularly visit the nearby Colonial Tavern between sets, At the time, the Colonial Tavern featured prominent blues and jazz artists, who played a full week with a matinee on Saturdays.

James was particularly influenced through seeing performances by Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Buddy Guy & Jr. Wells and was even asked to sit in with Muddy's band on the Matinee.

James would then go back to the Bermuda and play a Muddy Water's song that he just watched Muddy play...

As of 1970, the house band at the Bermuda Tavern evolved into the band Lick'n Stick, led by James, and playing old rock and blues.

During this time, James was Musical Director and composed the music for three musicals for Young People's Theatre.

LICK'N'STICK- Founded 1970, while the house band at The Bermuda Tavern, by Paul James Vigna, guitar vocal; with Rick Law, bass; and Rob Hancock, drums...Malcom Glassford became band manager in 1971...some of the other musicians who played with Lick'n'Stick as the changing Fourth musician were; Jane Vasey, piano; Michael Picket,guitar,harp; Gary Gary, rhythm guitar, piano; Martin Soldat, piano,organ; Brian Frazer, piano

Following the demise of Lick'n'Stick, Paul James Vigna became professionally known as Paul James, and founded The Paul James Band.

The first, Cyclone Jack, written by Carol Bolt about aboriginal marathon runner Tom Longboat, premiered in 1972.

A major break for James and Lick 'n' Stick was when the band was asked to open for and back up Bo Diddley at the El Mocambo, during a week long engagement in 1973.

Bo Diddley was impressed with the band.

He took James under his wing giving him career advice and asked James To work with him to create the soundtrack of the feature-length movie, 'Diary of a Sinner ', Over subsequent years, Bo Diddley and Paul James played many engagements together, with Bo Diddley being considered by James as a major mentor.

James was supported in his self-reliance to develop his career.

James regarded the best career advice he received as coming from Bo Diddley.

As James recalls, "Bo Diddley told me, 'don’t sign anything'. Bo taught me not to be afraid and to be independent. When I put out my own 45s, EPs, and LPs, Bo Diddley was right there saying, 'That's what to do. Don’t you be getting down on your knees to beg for a recording contract. Do it yourself!'"

Lick'n Stick obtained a record contract with Columbia Records in 1974.

The other two plays to which James Musical Director and Composer were Mauriceabout Quebec Premier Maurice Dupessis (1975) and Finding Bumble (1975), both also written by Carol Bolt.

All three plays were directed by Tim Bond.

The label wanted the band to develop a musical style similar to that of the Bee Gees at the time, which James declined.The label released three singles by the band,1.'Take it Easy' by Paul James 2.A Rolling Stones cover of 'Under My Thumb' with Can't Do Nothing by Paul James on the flip side; and 3."Mary Ann" by Paul James(1975), Paul wrote Mary Ann and then after a visit to Jamaica changed its beat from a Latin to reggae .It may have been the first so called white reggae song released by a Canadian.

It was moderately successful and was given the nod by Dick Clark, however, Lick'n'Stick's music was only available in Canada.

The label did not continue with the contract thereafter as James would not play disco styled music.

James had expressed reservations about the label's perspective, since at the time George Thorogood was becoming increasingly popular, performing Bo Diddley songs, and Blues rooted Rock'n'Roll.

As James said, "In the States, George Thorogood was getting a shot at recording Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, and Elmore James tunes. I was just as good as George Thorogood, so why not me? Thorogood was recording Bo Diddley songs, but I was actually playing with Bo Diddley himself!"

With the Columbia Record deal gone and Disco Music flooding the airwaves Lick'n'Stick fell apart leaving all the band members seeking the haven of straight reliable jobs...except Paul James Vigna...