James Blake
British-American pianist and writer
About James Blake
Lived 1922 – 1979 (aged 56–57).
James Blake (1922 – February 20, 1979) was a jazz musician and petty thief who became a literary sensation in the 1950s when he published his letters in the Paris Review.
Early life James Blake was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and moved with the family to the United States in 1929, at age 7. He grew up in Chicago and studied to be a concert pianist. A section of The Joint and a short story, The Widow, Bereft, appeared in Esquire Magazine and the short story was selected by Martha Foley and Whit Burnett and included in Best American Short Stories of 1971.
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Important facts
People in James Blake's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped James Blake's
Frequently asked questions
Who was James Blake?
British-American pianist and writer
When was James Blake born?
James Blake was born in 1922.
When did James Blake die?
James Blake died on 20 February 1979.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: James Blake (pianist)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). James Blake. https://biography.guide/james-blake-1922/
MLA: "James Blake." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/james-blake-1922/.
Chicago: "James Blake." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/james-blake-1922/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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