Biography
Having just completed their second album, Whiteboy James and the Blues Express is a band on the verge. Since reforming in 2006 after a 5-year vacation, the band has re-established themselves as the legendary band that was a fixture in the Southern California Blues explosion of the 80’s and 90’s. Whiteboy James has a mesmerizing stage presences and in combination with a band of seasoned veterans the show keeps the audience on the edge of their seats.
James Page was born in Compton, California, raised in Paramount and Cerritos California. "Whiteboy" spent most of his formative years in Southern California, but his musical influences changed radically when he began listening to his uncles Deep South Rhythm and Blues and Country Records. "Whiteboy" found it difficult to fit into the "Beach Boy" culture, when his soul was into the likes of Cab Calloway, Louis Jordan, Sam "Lightning" Hopkins, Big Joe Turner, and the list goes on to include Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bob Wills and even Spike Jones. Fast forward to the mid 1980's… the peak period of the Southern Californian blues explosion. Blues bands were forming everywhere from garages to all night blues jams in various nightclubs. "Whiteboy" James had several tunes in his repertoire by this time, and was ready and willing to sit in, sing, and blow some harmonica with whoever would call him up on stage (The Mighty Flyers, William Clarke, James Harman, The Blasters (Phil and Dave Alvin), Johnny Dyre, Joe Houston, Little Charlie and the Nightcats, Top Jimmy, Juke Logan and the list goes on…).
It was at one of the jams that the original Blues Express was formed. Soon thereafter, the band was gigging all over the Southern California blues circuit. "Whiteboy" James became quite the buzz. People were talking about this Jump and Jive entertainer, who not unlike his boyhood hero Cab Calloway was out there leading a swinging blues band (dressed in a trench coat as opposed to Cab Calloway's tux and tails). "Whiteboy" James and the Blues Express continued to play throughout the 1990s, but times got hard in the new millennium, until now! The band is back, and better than ever, and so is "Whiteboy" James! This is an act that must be expreienced live and in person. Do yourself a favor and see "Whiteboy" James and the Blues Express as soon and as often as you dare!!! The Blues Express are: Scott Abeyta (guitar), Blake Watson (bass), and Max Bangwell (drums).
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