Growing up in South Memphis at College and McClemore, James Alexander was a music legend in the making. Just a stone's throw away from Stax Records, James played football and was a part of a band while attending Booker T. Washington High School. Immediately after graduating high school, he was on a plane with his bandmates headed to New York City to play his very first gig at the Apollo Theatre with Otis Redding. James gives us quite a few stories entering the music business with the Bar-Kays at such a young age including comradery amongst musicians and even racism during those early years. He even shares that tragic moment when he flew commercial for a gig while his entire band in addition to Otis Redding were killed on a private plane. As a result, based on a foreshadowing conversation he had with his band mates, he was able to carry the legacy of the Bar-Kays months later. Take a listen as James discusses his influence and relationship with his son Jazze Pha, whom he named after his best friend and late Bar-Kays bandmate Phalon Jones. James continues as the only original member of the Bar-Kays fostering relationships and collaborations with other Memphis artists such as Juicy J, Young Dolph and so many more.
