Canadian music legend Colin James returns to North Bay

Colin James' latest album, called "Open Road," gained him a 2022 Juno Award for blues album of the year, making it his eighth Juno win and counting. (Facebook/ Colin James)

Colin James is coming back, North Bay, and you can catch him on his Chasing the Sun tour at the Capitol Centre on Sunday, Feb. 16. Terra Lightfoot is opening the show.

James emphasized, “I am super excited to get back out on the road soon to play some live shows with my band after recovering for the last few months from my accident.” That incident happened last September, when James was involved in a car accident that put a premature end to his U.S. tour.

He’s better now, and with new album in hand, he’s eager to hit the road. When BayToday spoke with James by phone, he was at his Vancouver home, having just returned from a Blues Cruise out of Florida, where he shared the bill with Taj Mahal, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and other blues greats.

After a little rest, he was eager to rehearse with the band before kicking off the 19-stop cross-country tour in Ottawa on Feb. 7 at the National Arts Centre.

When asked about his philosophy on success and longevity in the music scene, James noted, “If it’s something that you want to do for life, then you have to realize there’s a long arc there. In my life already I’ve had 20 records out and I’ve gone from playing acoustic stuff to little big band stuff to straight-out rock and roll.”

James added, “I’ve noticed that the stuff that is least expected is what often ends up being your favourite. When you don’t allow yourself to get stuck in a rut and you keep moving, your attitude changes as you go as long as you keep open to it.”

“Take chances,” James emphasized.

It’s a philosophy that has served him well. His back catalogue proves his willingness to explore various styles, and he’s always eager to collaborate with artists he admires to push his music in new directions.

James entered the national consciousness with his self-titled debut album. It was 1988, and “Five Long Years,” and “Voodoo Thing” filled the airwaves. It sold like hotcakes, and it earned James his first Juno. It also caught the attention of Keith Richards, who offered James an opening spot on his Take It So Hard tour.

James’ second album, Second Stop, contained the smash hit “Just Came Back,” which reached #3 on the U.S. radio charts and earned him another Juno for Single of the Year. Since those early days, James has never stopped playing and recording, and throughout his career, he’s played with blues legends Albert Collins, Albert King, and Robert Cray. He’s also shared stages with Stevie Ray Vaughn, Bonnie Raitt, Pops Staples, and many more.

His new album, Chasing the Sun, was recorded in Nashville and Vancouver. The opening track, “Protection,” was written by Lucinda Williams, who joined James in the studio to sing with him on the track.

Speaking of the collaboration, James told BayToday, “There are a few times in your life when you get to work with someone that you really admire. As far as a writer goes, she’s insanely talented. She has so many fantastic songs, so really, words can’t describe how great it was to sing beside her. I admire her so much.”

The sessions also reunited James with bassist Darryl Jones and drummer Charley Drayton, who had worked on previous albums together. Jones and Drayton used to back Miles Davis from time to time and have a long history of playing with The Rolling Stones as well.

The album leans towards medium-tempo blues rockers, often warmed up by the enveloping tones of the Hammond organ, with no shortage of tasty licks and jaw-dropping guitar solos. Indeed, James is known for his prowess on the six-string – always has been – and when asked what his favourite guitar is from his collection, he didn’t hesitate.

James said, “There are a lot of guitars in my collection, and I love them all, but my top guitar has to be “The Lady.” I got it right from the custom shop when I first signed an endorsement deal with Fender in 1988 and they gave me three guitars right off the bat.” One of those was the guitar he called The Lady, a teal-blue Fender Stratocaster.

Asked about two of the coolest guitars he was able to play owned by other guitarists, James admitted that was a little tough to answer, but didn’t take long to choose two.

James recalled, “I opened up a bunch of shows for Buddy Guy about two years ago, and I had to play his guitar because my guitar technician packed up all my guitars. But then Buddy called me up again and my stuff was all locked away and gone, so I had to ask, ‘Buddy, can I play your guitar?’ So, he strapped his polka-dotted (Fender Stratocaster) on me and off I went.”

“So that was awesome,” James admitted. As for the second on his list, playing Stevie Ray Vaughn’s Stratocasters was a definite highlight. “When I played with Stevie Ray Vaughn, he would give me his guitars to play through because he always tuned to E flat.”

As for the tour, James said he’s looking forward to returning to the Capitol Centre’s stage to share some of the new music and rock out with the classics as well.

Tickets are selling fast and are available online or by calling the Capitol Centre’s box office at 705-474-4747. Tickets are $75 each or $70 for Capitol Centre members. The Capitol Centre is located at 150 Main Street E.