The Steve James Songbook - Original Roots and Blues from a Fingerstyle and Slide Legend
“People talk about the folk revival and the blues revival, but I never thought those styles were dead. From the first time I heard them as a kid, they moved me, not as something I had to exhume, but as something that was happening here and now, a living and breathing part of American life. Music stops time.” —Steve James
Steve James (1950–2023) was a legendary roots and blues musician, masterful singer-songwriter, and endlessly entertaining storyteller. In this book, you’ll get to know Steve and his music—through his own words and those of longtime collaborators Del Rey and Elijah Wald. This songbook includes full guitar parts in standard notation and tablature, with lyrics, plus the stories behind 20 of Steve’s original songs:
- Birmingham Steel
- Copeland’s Fancy
- County Line Road
- Farewell the Roses
- Fast Texas
- Fisherman’s Reel
- Folk Radio
- Freestone County Blues
- Galway Station Blues
- The Gina Reel
- Grain Alcohol
- I Love My Guitar
- The Right Thing to Do
- Saturday Night in Jail
- Seattle Blues
- Sonny Payne
- Stack Lee’s Blues (Parts 1 & 2)
- Talco Girl
- Why the Blues Don’t Worry Me (Parts 1 & 2)
- Willie’s Place
This book is available in your choice of print or digital edition. Both editions are 144 pages and include a companion audio download, featuring original recordings performed by Steve James.
