Chris James and Patrick Rynn

Chris James and Patrick Rynn are an American electric blues and Chicago blues duo, comprising Chris James on lead guitar and vocals and Patrick Rynn on bass guitar. The twosome first met in 1990 in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Their debut album, Stop and Think About It, was nominated for a 2009 Blues Music Award. "Mister Coffee", a track from the album, was nominated for a Blues Blast Award as Best Blues Song and won third-place in the Independent Music Awards. Their 2010 follow-up was Gonna Boogie Anyway. Rynn has been nominated for a Blues Music Award as 'Best Blues Bassist' for six consecutive years.

Life and career

Chris James became infatuated on the blues by being inspired by his stepfather's taste in music. He was able to play blues piano by the age of 11. Chuck Berry was an influence, along with Jay McShann's "Confessin' The Blues," a cover version of which appeared on the duo's debut album. He joined Tomcat Courtney's backing band when he was aged 13, initially playing the harmonica and later bass and then rhythm guitar. He made his recording debut on Roger Belloni's album, The Lemon Grove Tapes. He later joined Detroit Junior's backing ensemble before meeting Patrick Rynn and persuading him to play bass.

Rynn hails from Toledo, Ohio, and was classically trained on bass before he heard Elmore James' version of "Dust My Broom". He visited Chicago in 1990, and played alongside Junior Wells, before the meeting with James. Work in Chicago led the twosome to join Sam Lay's backing band where they stayed for five years, and were part of the recording of Sam Lay Blues Band Live (1996). They later backed Lay on Rhythm Room Blues (2001). A meeting in 1994 in Woodland Park, Colorado, led to the duo joining with harmonicist Rob Stone and forming Rob Stone & the C-Notes, who recorded their debut album, No Worries, in 1998 and then Just My Luck in 2003. Further backing and recording work ensued. Both James and Rynn then were members of a band named Blue Four, who backed Jody Williams until 2004.

Their 2008 debut album, Stop and Think About It, was nominated for a 2009 Blues Music Award. Gonna Boogie Anyway (2010) saw guest appearances by the pianists David Maxwell and Henry Gray; harmonica players Bob Corritore and Rob Stone, guitarist Jeff Stone, and on two tracks, drummer Sam Lay. The album's track listing included cover versions of songs written by Bo Diddley, Jimmy Reed, and Robert Lockwood, Jr. James and Rynn later played on Rob Stone's album, Back Around Here (2010).

Barrelhouse Stomp (2011) was recorded between 2009 and 2011. James separately contributed guest guitar work on Bob Corritore's albums, Harmonica Blues (2010), Long Term Friends in the Blues (2012) and Knockin' Around These Blues by both John Primer and Corritore (2013). In 2012, James and Rynn performed at the Topanga Canyon Blues Festival.

Trouble Don't Last (2015) is the latest James and Rynn album, and their first on Vizztone. It was recorded in a studio in Tempe, Arizona inside two days. They appeared at the Chicago Blues Festival in 2015.

Discography

Albums

Year	Title	Record label
2008	Stop and Think About It	Earwig Music Company
2010	Gonna Boogie Anyway	Earwig Music Company
2011	Barrelhouse Stomp	Earwig Music Company
2014	Barrelhouse Blues	Earwig Music Company
2015	Trouble Don't Last	Vizztone

See also

• List of blues musicians

External links

• Official website