James Wheeler

James Wheeler (August 28, 1937 – December 25, 2014) was a Chicago blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was the younger brother of fellow blues musician Golden "Big" Wheeler.

Biography He was born in Albany, Georgia, United States. Unlike many of that era, it was not the blues but big band music that first entranced Wheeler. His influences were Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington, and his real passion, Louis Jordan. By the age of 19, Wheeler had not yet picked up a musical instrument, but was tempted to follow his older brother, Golden "Big" Wheeler to relocate to Chicago, Illinois. After the move in 1956, and seeing his brother rubbing shoulders with blues musicians such as Little Walter, Wheeler acquired a guitar and started to practice and jam with other guitarists. In 1963, Wheeler formed his own band, the Jaguars, and they found work backing a succession of musicians including B.B. King, Otis Rush, Otis Clay, Millie Jackson, and others. Wheeler then joined up with Magic Slim. The collection had ten original numbers written by Wheeler, plus three reworkings of older material including a version of Sonny Boy Williamson II's "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl". Apart from Wheeler himself on guitar and vocals, his band featured Billy Flynn, rhythm guitar; Ken Saydak, piano; Bob Stroger, bass; Vernon Rodgers, drums; Golden "Big" Wheeler, harmonica; and Gloria Thompson-Rodgers, vocals. The album was produced by Delmark's owner, Bob Koester. Then followed a hectic tour, which encompassed dates in Europe and South America. Wheeler stated about his song writing ethos, "I've been writing since '75... Most of the songs I write have a comedy feel to it. I make a little story line then you can look at it and see the picture. I go from the beginning, to the middle, to the end. I set it up so you can tell the rest of the story. On a lot of them I be crackin' up myself, but there's a little bit of truth in all of it."

He died on Christmas Day 2014, in Chicago, Illinois, at the age of 77.

Discography Albums Year Title Record label 1998 Ready! Delmark Records 2000 Can't Take It Delmark Records