Once you hear Early James’ raw, eerily otherworldly voice, you don’t forget it. We were taken by his debut album, “Strange Time to Be Alive” and he wowed us with a powerful Air Studio appearance in 2022. Now we’re getting to know his new one, “Medium Raw”. It was recorded by famed producer and musician Dan Auerbach. The studio was actually an old house, known as “Honky Chateau,” an old Nashville property owned by photographer and artist Buddy Jackson. Most of the tracks were cut in one take, without overdubs. As for James’ musical influences, Howlin’ Wolf is not surprisingly towards the top. “I remember getting obsessed with the blues and getting obsessed with old country. My first favorite musician was Hank Williams. There was something about how dark that music was. I could listen to Hank Williams on repeat and never get tired of it. Hank Williams, Jr., lives in my hometown of Troy, Alabama, and he and my dad were hunting buddies.” He’s embarking on an extensive tour that includes Eulogy in Asheville on Wednesday evening.
Live in Studio B, Wednesday at 3pm: Early James
