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Skip James was a renowned blues and gospel singer and songwriter, born on June 21, 1902, in Yazoo City, Mississippi. He was known for his distinctive falsetto vocals and unique minor-key guitar sound, which he played in an open D-minor tuning. Raised on the Woodbine plantation near Betonia, Mississippi, James was inspired to pursue music after witnessing performances by Henry Stuckey and Rich Griffin at a Saturday night dance party. He taught himself to play the piano after observing a rural pianist and developed his guitar style with Stuckey's guidance. In 1927, Okeh Records approached James for a recording contract, but he initially refused. It wasn't until February 1931 that he was persuaded by talent scout H.C. Spier to record in Grafton, Wisconsin, where he recorded 18 tunes, although he later recalled performing 26 songs. Shortly after this session, he reconnected with his father, a Baptist minister, who encouraged him to attend divinity school in Dallas. This new religious path led James to abandon the blues, which was viewed as the Devil's music. In 1948, after quitting a mining job in Birmingham, James returned to Betonia to revive his blues career, but found that the local African American population was dwindling and musical tastes had shifted. He played only occasional local parties and eventually faded from the scene. His nickname, "Skip," may have stemmed from his tendency to leave town quickly due

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