James Bryan

James Bryan entered the world in Mentone, Alabama, already drawn to the fiddle from his earliest days. By age 12 he claimed his initial contest victory, later studied under bluegrass master Kenny Baker, and captured the Tennessee Valley Fiddle King crown at 17. He soon became a member of Norman Blake’s Rising Fawn String Ensemble, where his command of the instrument and command of traditional material deepened considerably. Rounder issued his first solo recording, Lookout Blues, in 1983, with The First of May arriving two years afterward; each disc blended vintage Southern pieces whose English and Scottish roots remained audible. Throughout the remainder of the decade Bryan maintained an active schedule, appearing both alone and alongside Norman and Nancy Blake. In 1995 he issued the collaborative album Two Pictures with guitarist Carl Jones. He maintained a steady presence at bluegrass and folk gatherings, frequently joined onstage by his daughter Rachel Bryan on guitar.