Red Red Wine - Music

Red Red Wine by Jimmy James & The Vagabonds

Jimmy James & The Vagabonds

Artist Biography For Jimmy James & The Vagabonds

Jimmy James & The Vagabonds Was A Jamaican Rhythm 'n' Blues Band Formed In 1964 When Singer Jimmy James Who Already Had Two Hits In Jamaica Collaborated With The Vagabonds. They Released Their Best Known Studio Album The New Religion In 1966. James Teamed Up With The Vagabonds Under Canadian Band Manager Roger Smith And In April 1964 They Relocated To The UK. Ska-Time Decca Records Was Recorded As Jamaica's Own Vagabonds Within Two Weeks Of Their Arrival And Is One Of The First Examples Of Jamaican Ska Music To Be Recorded In The UK It Was Reissued As Skatime In 1970 On Decca's Eclipse Label . After Meeting Manager Peter Meaden In 1965 Jimmy James And The Vagabonds Supported The Who And Rod Stewart Who Was With His Group The Steampacket At The Marquee Club In London. The Band Played The Shanklin Pier Ballroom On The Isle Of Wight In June 1965 And Returned For Two Further Sold-Out Concerts That Summer. That Same Year They Played The Richmond National Jazz And Blue Festival And They Were Also On The Bill The Following Year When The Festival Was At Windsor. Jimmy James & The Vagabonds Shared Several Bills With Jimi Hendrix's Band The Experience During The Late 1960s When They Were Both Trying To Establish Themselves. They Signed A Recording Contract With Pye Records And Released Their Best Known Studio Album The New Religion In 1966. The Band Also Played As Support For The Who Sonny & Cher Rod Stewart Who Was Also On Pye Records At The Time And The Rolling Stones. The Band Often Used The Abbey Road Studios Once Being There At The Same Time As The Beatles Were Recording. Their Live Performance Was Captured In The Album London Swings – Live At The Marquee Club Also Featuring The Alan Bown Set. Jimmy James And The Vagabonds Were Labelmates And Rivals Of Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band. The Vagabonds Disbanded In 1970 But James Who Owned The Name Enlisted Alan Wood To Form A Band With A New All-White Line-Up In 1973. They Had Hits In The UK Singles Chart With "I'll Go Where Your Music Takes Me" 1976 And "Now Is The Time". In 1976 They Recorded The Funky Disco Song "Disco Fever". In 1979 A New Band Big Business Was Formed By Alan Kirk And Andrew Platts Former Vagabonds. In 1999 Drummer Russ Courtenay Co-Wrote The Track "Whatever You Need" Which Appeared On Tina Turner's Album 24/7 And Later On Her All The Best And The Platinum Collection Compilation Albums. In 2007 James Contributed The Track "The Other Side Of The Street" For Ian Levine's Northern Soul 2007 Album. James Performed Around The UK With Former Foundations Frontman Clem Curtis. The Pair Along With Flirtations Vocalist Earnestine Pearce Toured With 'The Soul Explosion'. In April 2007 James Performed At The 'Classic Gold Weekender' Along With Marmalade Love Affair And Showaddywaddy. In 2013 They Toured With James' Early Hero Ben E. King. In February 2014 The Song "Whatever You Need" Written By Drummer Russ Courtenay And Harriet Roberts Featured On Tina Turner's Album Love Songs. At The Age Of 80 James Continued With Concert Appearances Into The Latter Half Of 2021 But He Later Retired From Performing. James Died In London On 14 May 2024. Members Of The Vagabonds Have Included Rupert Balgobin Drums 1960–70 Barry Sutton Trumpet 1967–70 Colston Chen Bass 1960–70 Phil Chen Guitar 1960–70 Fred Fredericks Saxophone 1960–70 Carl Griffiths Saxophone 1960–70 Count Prince Miller Vocals 1960–70 Died In 2018 Carl Noel Keyboards 1960–67 Art Regis Hammond Organ 1967–1969 Wallace Wilson Guitar 1960–70 Stewart Blandamer Saxophone 1970-1972 Steve Farr Saxophone 1970-1972 Bill Roberts Guitar 1970-1972 Eddy Spence Keyboards 1970-1972 Kelvin Kelly Cantlon Bass 1970-1972 Mick Dolan Drums 1970-1972 Alan Wood Bass 1973–77 Martin Dale Trumpet 1971 Dave Hopper Guitar 1973–74 Fred Guite Drums 1973–74 Pete Wright Drums 1974–75 Russ Courtenay Drums 1975–77 Chris Garfield Guitar 1975–77 Alan Kirk Keyboards 1975–77 Pete Gill Drums 1974–1975 John Steele Guitar 1974–1975 Rick Sequeira Keyboards 1974–1975 Andrew Platts Trombone And Vocals 1977–1979 Glenn Harland Lead Guitarist 1981–1984 John Wintony Keyboards 1981–1984 Dave Bussey Drums 1981–1984 Chris Turner Bass 1981–1984 Steve Ward Lead Guitarist 1990–1995 David Cooke Keyboards 1990–1995 Pat Coleman Drums 1990–1994 Mario James Bass 1990–1992 Mike Scrimshaw Bass 1992 Dean Spain Backing Vocals 1998– Discography "Red Red Wine" – 1968 – Pye – No. 36 UK A Man Like Me -1972 - Stateside Records Did Not Chart I'll Go Where Your Music Takes Me– Pye – No. 23 UK "You Don't Stand A Chance If You Can't Dance" - 1975 - PYE Records Limited "Now Is The Time" – 1976 – Pye – No. 5 UK