James Gurley
December 22, 1939 – December 20, 2009
James Gurley was a Detroit born rock guitarist who is best remembered for his work along with Janis Joplin in Big Brother & The Holding Company. Gurley began teaching himself to play the guitar when he was 19, mostly by practicing along with old blues records. In 1962, he moved to San Francisco and became immersed in the local music scene. In 1965, he was invited to join Big Brother. They soon added Joplin to sing lead, and after signing with Columbia Records, the group became a breakout act of the San Francisco scene. They released such landmark rock albums as 1967’s self-titled debut, and it’s follow-up, Cheap Thrills. Following the 1971 break up of Big Brother, Gurley continued on over the next three decades collaborating with other artists or playing bass in his own new wave band, Red Robin & the Worms. James Gurley, 69, died of a heart attack on December 20, 2009.
What You Should Own
James Gurley (My Best Friend and band mate) R.I.P.
Today I am heartbroken, a Father to my music and best friend for almost 30 years passed away from a heart attack Dec 20 a few days before his 70th birthday. His name was James Gurley known as “The Father of Psychedelic Guitar” he was Janis Joplin mate and lead guitarist in Big Brother and The Holding Co.
I first meet James in 1981 when I audition for his new band Red Robin and The Worms, a new wave punk mix original band. I wasn’t really into that music but I went to the studio any ways when I heard James Gurley was looking for a lead guitarist , he wanted to play bass in this band, I passed the audition and I became the lead guitarist. James was so underrated, he was really a great musician , he got a lot of bad press from his playing days with BBHC from some critics and at the same time to others folks he was there God. When I meet James he was so far past what he had done, all he wanted to do was to be in the now, never the past , never wanted to play his old songs over and over in like a touring country fair band , he was fresh. James taught me so much about the music biz and music in general. The best thing about James and I ? we were best of friends for almost 30 years, we have lived together , liked the same foods , same stupid TV shows , politics, amp tubes, lol, etc. yes best friends, now we had are fall outs but always came back stronger . I knew he was good friends with Jimi Hendrix so I always tried to work my ass off on my guitar to make him happy , not easy, he was never happy, well not really he just wanted me not to give up and get content, give my all and never get a ugly ego , James wasn’t into that . James would stay all hours in his studio in Palm Desert Ca. so much that most of the music would not get out, always wanted it perfect.
James new music ? oh so many different styles, nothing like Big Brother music, it was James Gurley, from Punk to Rasta to even some funny hillbilly cowboy songs etc., pure emotions and some added comedy, he was a very funny man.
In the Janis days James had his problem with the drink and drugs but when I met him in 1981 he was sober from drink and hard drugs , he stayed that way until the end. We were Rastafarian Buddhist , lol, that was our religion.
Oh I am going to miss James Gurley
I love you James , you know that , you took me in when I was 20 yrs old and I thank you .
RIP James Gurley ,
Peace from Thailand ,
Mitch Master .
PS My real name is Mitch McKendry James gave me the name Mitch Master in 1981.
Thanks for sharing, Mitch. James was highly underrated by the critics (armchair/wannabe musicians). I last saw him live in the late 80s, and like you say, he had evolved far past his brilliant work with Big Brother.
RIP James.
James was the biggest musical influence in my life. I met James in late 1967. I was very young at the time, too young to be on my own but that was the 60’s for you. I lived across the panhandle from him in SF and I used watch his son. I was playing guitar at the time like everyone else in the world and when he would come home many times we would jam Sam, James & myself. I was always very nervous playing with them, I mean they were in Big Brother and I was just a kid. Anyway I’d always grab a guitar and he’d always hand me the bass instead. One day I came in with an old Gibson guitar and he took it from me and handed me a brand new Gibson semi hollow dual pick up bass and said “now you’re a bass player” and then went on to explain that guitar players were a dime a dozen but everybody needed a bass player. He was right, and I’ve been a bass player ever since. He and his wife Nancy were like my family and I was with them the day she passed away. Unfortunately I lost touch with James years ago but there isn’t a single time I pick up a bass that I don’t think of him. I love you James and Thank you so much…