James being posthumously inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame
Sweet Baby James was posthumously inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame on 10/9/21!
The original, inimitable Sweet Baby James Sweet Baby had just performed at the Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival
The late Jimmy Makarounis (Jimmy Mak's) and James Jimmy always thanked James for making his club "hip" with his performances and attendance
Sweet Baby James and wife Cathy @ '09 Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival James had just torn it up!
King Louie & Baby James @ the '09 Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival. Since '05, the band was a staple at the festival
The Original Cats @ Billy Reed's, July 1996 James gave the teenaged Esperanza Spalding her professional start with the Cats
Birthday cake! Tracy Pain had this beautiful cake made for James' birthday
James with Renato Caranto; photo by Ben Hunt James absolutely loved playing with Renato!
King Louie & Baby James @ the Oregon Bite Festival James enjoyed performing for the Bite crowd
James & Louis "King Louie" Pain James & Louis were close friends & musical collaborators
The Frank Martin Trio: James, Martin, & Delbert McSwain Martin, a Kansas City Hall Of Fame inductee, helped James develop as a jazz vocalist
Sweet Baby James with The Del-Tones l to r: Eddie Fontaine, James, Emmett Williams, & Dave English
Sweet Baby James with Esperanza Spalding @ the Kung Fu Bakery recording studio The two recorded a duet together following her Grammy win
Sweet Baby James & Phil Upchurch @ Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival James and the Chicago guitar/bass legend really hit it off!
King Louie & Baby James @ Port City Development, Feb. 2012 l to r: Micah Kassell, James, Louis Pain, & Renato Caranto
Sweet Baby James with the Mel Brown B-3 Organ Group @ Jimmy Mak's. Mel loved to have his former mentor sing with his band
The Oregonian, 9-11-08 Click the "Press/Reviews" tab at this site to read the piece
King Louie & Baby James @ Portland's Memorial Coliseum The Portland Trailblazers hired the band to play at a special event
Sweet Baby James & the late Dick Bogle @ Jimmy Mak's The two old friends swapped entertaining stories about Portland's legendary Williams Ave. Scene
King Louie & Baby James @ '08 Mt. Hood Jazz Festival It was over 100 degrees that day!
King Louie & Baby James @ '09 Waterfront Blues Festvial Guest pianist Janice Scroggins tore it up!
King Louie & Baby James' 2nd CD, "Around the World" In the title song, James' character brags about all the places he's been, but can only name Oregon locations!
Sweet Baby James & Tracy Pain outside James' home James was giving his "Baby Sis" a tour of his property
Inside Sweet Baby James' home The walls of James' home was lined with hundreds of photos, and he had a story for every one
Sweet Baby James & Esperanza Spalding @ Portland City Hall, 2-23-11 James & his former protege were honored by Mayor Sam Adams as part of History, Hope & Harmony Day
Sweet Baby James & Esperanza Spalding @ City Hall, 2-23-11 The two had just been honored by Portland Mayor Sam Adams
Sweet Baby James & wife Cathy @ Jimmy Mak's Cathy and James were a great couple!
King Louie & Baby James at the '05 Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival It just doesn't get any more soulful than Sweet Baby!
Louis "King Louie" Pain @ '05 Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival Louis and James met when Louis joined Mel Brown's band in 1997
The NW Ray Charles Tribute @ Oregon Symphony Sweet Baby brought the house down with "Come Back Baby"
Sweet Baby James @ Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival Great photo by The Oregonian's Ross Hamilton
King Louie & Baby James @ 2010 Salem State Fair l to r: Renato Caranto, Micah Kassell, Louis Pain, James, & Jay Koder
Sweet Baby James (center) with friends in North Portland Something was cracking James up!
Sweet Baby James (left) during filming James acted in a couple of westerns!
Sweet Baby James with the Pal Club Bombers The Bombers were semi-pro; James later joined the Chicago Hot 'N' Tots, a Harlem Globetrotters farm club
"The Body"--written by Sweet Baby James & performed by the Audios The record was banned on Portland radio for suggestive lyrics!
Sweet Baby James at the beach The young Sweet Baby was a hunk!
"Queen of the Tassles" Sweet Baby James had a lot of girlfriends back in the day...
Sweet Baby James with legendary drummer Bernard "Pretty" Purdie The two had a mutual admiration society
Sign at the Oregon State Fair They didn't quite have the name of the band right!
Sweet Baby James & wife Cathy at their home Cathy took great care of James--and vice versa
graffiti image by Edwin Coleman III