Chris James and Patrick Rynn are an American electric blues and Chicago blues duo, comprising James on lead guitar and vocals and Rynn on bass guitar and backing vocals. They first met in 1990 in Chicago. Their debut album, ''Stop and Think About It'', was nominated for a 2009

Blues Music Award The Blues Music Awards, formerly known as the W. C. Handy Awards (or "The Handys"), are awards presented by the Blues Foundation, a non-profit organization set up to foster blues heritage. The awards were originally named in honor of W. C. Handy, " ...

. "Mister Coffee", a track from the album, was nominated for a Blues Blast Award as Best Blues Song and won third place in the Independent Music Awards. Their 2010 follow-up was ''Gonna Boogie Anyway''. Rynn has been nominated for a Blues Music Award as 'Best Blues Bassist' for seven consecutive years.

Life and career

Chris James' love of the blues was inspired by his stepfather's taste in music. He was able to play blues piano by the age of 11. Chuck Berry was an influence, along with Jay McShann's "Confessin' The Blues," a cover version of which appeared on the duo's debut album. He joined Tomcat Courtney's backing band when he was 13, initially playing the harmonica and later bass and then rhythm guitar. He made his recording debut on Roger Belloni's album ''The Lemon Grove Tapes''. He later joined

Detroit Junior Emery "Detroit Junior" Williams, Jr. (October 26, 1931 – August 9, 2005) was an American Chicago blues pianist, vocalist and songwriter. He is known for songs such as "So Unhappy", "Call My Job", "If I Hadn't Been High", "Ella" and "Money T ...

's backing ensemble before meeting Patrick Rynn and persuading him to play bass. Patrick Rynn is from

Toledo, Ohio Toledo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lucas County, Ohio, United States. A major Midwestern United States port city, Toledo is the fourth-most populous city in the state of Ohio, after Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, and according ...

. He was classically trained on bass from an early age and was first introduced to blues at age 16 by Tenor saxophonist

Floyd "Candy" Johnson Floyd "Candy" Johnson (May 1, 1922 in Madison, Illinois – June 28, 1981 in Framingham, Massachusetts) was an American jazz saxophonist. Career Johnson started on drums before moving to saxophone. His professional career began in St. Louis, wher ...

. It was not until two years later after hearing Elmore James' version of "

Dust My Broom "Dust My Broom" is a blues song originally recorded as "I Believe I'll Dust My Broom" by American blues artist Robert Johnson in 1936. It is a solo performance in the Delta blues-style with Johnson's vocal accompanied by his acoustic guitar. A ...

" that he began to pursue blues. In 1989, Rynn met Junior Wells and after that meeting was invited to Chicago. He moved there in 1990, and shortly after he met Chris James. James and Rynn began a friendship and musical collaboration that has led to an almost 30-year career together. Work in Chicago led them to join Sam Lay's backing band, where they stayed for five years and were part of the recording of ''Sam Lay Blues Band Live'' (1996). They later backed Lay on ''Rhythm Room Blues'' (2001). In 1994 in Woodland Park, Colorado, they met harmonicist Rob Stone. Stone soon moved to Chicago, joining James and Rynn in Lay's "Chicago Blues Band". James and Rynn later collaborated with Stone to form Rob Stone & the C-Notes, who recorded their debut album, ''No Worries'', in 1998 and then ''Just My Luck'' in 2003. Further backing and recording work ensued. Both James and Rynn then were leaders of the band named "The Blue Four", who backed Jody Williams until 2004. Their 2008 debut album, ''Stop and Think About It'', was nominated for a 2009

. ''Gonna Boogie Anyway'' (2010) saw guest appearances by the pianists David Maxwell and Henry Gray; harmonica players Bob Corritore and Rob Stone, guitarist Jeff Stone, and on two tracks, drummer Sam Lay. The album's track listing included

cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...

s of songs written by Bo Diddley, Jimmy Reed, and

Robert Lockwood, Jr. Robert Lockwood Jr. (March 27, 1915 – November 21, 2006) was an American Delta blues guitarist, who recorded for Chess Records and other Chicago labels in the 1950s and 1960s. He was the only guitarist to have learned to play directly ...

James and Rynn later played on Rob Stone's album ''Back Around Here'' (2010). ''Barrelhouse Stomp'', which featured pianists Henry Gray, Arron Moore, and David Maxwell, was recorded between 2009 and 2011. James and Rynn separately contributed guest guitar and bass guitar work on Bob Corritore's albums ''Harmonica Blues'' (2010), ''Long Term friends in the Blues'' (2012), and ''Knockin' Around These Blues'' by both John Primer and Corritore (2013). In 2012, James and Rynn performed at the

Topanga Canyon Blues Festival The Topanga Canyon Blues Festival is an annual event held in California, attracting blues acts from across the United States. It began in 1982. Like the Orange County Blues Festival, it attracts some of the major blues artists in the United Sta ...

. On ''Trouble Don't Last'' (2015) James and Rynn were joined by Rob Stone and

Aki Kumar Akarsha "Aki" Kumar (born 1980) is an Indian-born blues musician now living in San Jose, California. After working at a technology job, he is now a harmonica player and vocalist. Early life, education, and former career Kumar was born and grew up ...

on harmonica, and June Core on drums. It is the duo's first release on Vizztone. It was recorded in a studio in

Tempe, Arizona , settlement_type = City , named_for = Vale of Tempe , image_skyline = Tempeskyline3.jpg , imagesize = 260px , image_caption = Tempe skyline as se ...

inside two days.

Discography

Albums

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:James, Chris and Rynn, Patrick Living people 20th-century American male singers 20th-century American singers 21st-century American male singers 21st-century American singers American blues singers American blues guitarists American male guitarists Electric blues musicians Chicago blues musicians Songwriters from North Carolina Songwriters from Ohio 20th-century American guitarists 21st-century American guitarists Songwriters from Illinois Guitarists from Illinois Guitarists from North Carolina Guitarists from Ohio 20th-century American male musicians Year of birth missing (living people) Earwig Music artists American male songwriters

Life and career

Discography

Albums

See also

References

External links