Psychedelic guitarist James Gurley known for his part in Big Brother and the Holding Company passed away on December 20th in a Palm Springs hospital from complications of a heart attack. He was 69 years-old.
Born in Detroit, Gurley’s love of both blues and jazz led him to pick up a guitar at the age of 19, citing Lightnin' Hopkins as an influence but wanting to play like jazzman John Coltrane. Play it like crazy. Moving to San Francisco in 1962, Gurley would meet legendary promoter Chet Helms several years later that brought the guitarist to 1090 Page Street to meet Peter Albin and Sam Andrew of Big Brother and the Holding Company. Gurley joined the band soon after and a self titled debut album was released in 1966.
The music of Big Brother and the Holding Company was typical of the 60s sound being produced in the San Francisco area. Bands like Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead and Quicksilver Messenger were coming into their own and making names for themselves.
The eponymous album received a much needed shot in the arm after their appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival. Life would never be the same for the band after that gig. They went on to sign with Columbia Records, release the classic “Cheap Thrills” and spawn singles “Ball and Chain,” “Piece of My Heart” and “Summertime.” It also marked the second and last album with powerhouse vocalist, Janis Joplin.
The band was never quit able to find their legs following her departure. Several line-up changes which included the addition of Kathi McDonald and Nick Gravenites and Gurley switching to bass over the years, saw the band break up, make up, release four albums, and eventually see Gurley leave the band for good to pursue a solo career. In January 2000, “Pipe Dream” was released.
Co-founder Sam Andrew wrote on the bands’ website, “For me and for many people, James was the real 1960s, the real exemplar of that counterculture, the forerunner. Peter Albin, Chet Helms, and I founded Big Brother and the Holding Company, but James was the spirit and the essence of the band in its early days. He showed us the way as a Zen master would show the way, without sermons, without lectures, with as little talk but with as much humor as possible.”
Comments
Mitch Master lead guitarist for the Worms and several other projects with James including lead guitar on James CD Pipe Dreams.
Mitch and James were best friends for 30 yrs, here's a sample from his blog about James.
Read the full blog @
www.myspace.com/mitchmckendry
Today I am heartbroken, a Father to my music and best of friends for 30 years passed away from a heart attack Dec 20.
I first met James in 1981 when I audition for his new band Red Robin and The Worms, I passed the audition and I became the lead guitarist. We became band mates and best friends for the next 30 yrs. James taught me so much about the music biz and music in general. We haved lived together, liked the same foods,same stupid TV shows,politics, amp tubes, guitar cords,lol,etc. James died in a peaceful way with his beautiful wonderful wife Margaret Nelson Gurley by his side, James and Margaret had a wonderful marriage,they had marriage perfected.
Luv & miss you James
Peace from Thailand
Mitch Ma
R.I.P. James
Credit that photo to Bob Seidemann.
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