James Witherspoon (August 8, 1920 – September 18, 1997) was an American jump blues singer. See more

Witherspoon was born in Gurdon, Arkansas. His father was a railroad worker who sang in local choirs, and his mother was an avid piano player. Witherspoon's grandson Ahkello Witherspoon is a cornerback for the See more

Witherspoon first attracted attention singing in Calcutta, India, with Teddy Weatherford's band, which made regular radio broadcasts over the US Armed Forces Radio Service during World War II. Witherspoon made his first records with Jay McShann's … See more

In 1961 he toured Europe with Buck Clayton and returned to the UK on many occasions, featuring on a mid-'60s live UK recording, Spoon Sings and Swings (1966), with tenor sax player Dick Morrissey's quartet. In 1970, Witherspoon appeared on See more

In the 1995 film Georgia, Witherspoon portrayed Trucker, a traveling, gun-collecting blues singer who has a relationship with the troubled character Sadie, played by Jennifer Jason Leigh.
He played Nate Williams in The Black Godfather See more

Witherspoon died of throat cancer on September 18, 1997, in Los Angeles, California. See more

Albums
• 1947-48: The Chronological 1947-1948 (Classics 'Blues & Rhythm series', [2003])
• 1948-49: The Chronological 1948-1949 (Classics 'Blues & Rhythm series', [2004])
• 1950-51: The Chronological 1950-1951 (Classics … See more