# James Jamerson Jr.

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**James Jamerson Jr.** (born **James L. Jamerson III**; August 24, 1957 – March 23, 2016)[1] was an American bass player and noted studio musician. During his over three-decades long career he recorded with [Bob Dylan](/source/Bob_Dylan), [Tavares](/source/Tavares_(group)), [The Temptations](/source/The_Temptations), and many more.

## Life and career

Jamerson Jr. was born in [Detroit](/source/Detroit) to legendary session bass player [James Jamerson](/source/James_Jamerson), a cornerstone member of Motown's famed house band known as [The Funk Brothers](/source/The_Funk_Brothers).[2]

In the early 1970s, Jamerson, Jr. became an in-demand session bassist. In the next three decades he played on the studio albums by [Janet Jackson](/source/Janet_Jackson), [Smokey Robinson](/source/Smokey_Robinson), and [Aretha Franklin](/source/Aretha_Franklin), to name a few.[3]

In the late 1970s, he formed a studio [disco](/source/Disco) group, [Chanson](/source/Chanson_(band)), along with guitarist [David Williams](/source/David_Williams_(guitarist)). Their only charted single, "Don't Hold Back" reached No. 21 on the [*Billboard* Hot 100](/source/Billboard_Hot_100) in 1979 and No. 18 in Canada.[4]

Jamerson died in Detroit on March 23, 2016, at age 58. He had suffered for years with [ankylosing spondylitis](/source/Ankylosing_spondylitis).[2][5]

## Selected discography

**With [Tavares](/source/Tavares_(group))**

- *[Check It Out](/source/Check_It_Out_(album))* (1974)

**With [Sylvester](/source/Sylvester_(singer))**

- *[Step II](/source/Step_II)* (1978)

**With [High Inergy](/source/High_Inergy)**

- *[Shoulda Gone Dancin'](/source/Shoulda_Gone_Dancin')* (1979)

**With [The Crusaders](/source/The_Crusaders_(Houston_group)) with [B.B. King](/source/B.B._King) and the [Royal Philharmonic Orchestra](/source/Royal_Philharmonic_Orchestra)**

- *[Royal Jam](/source/Royal_Jam)* (1981)

**With [Janet Jackson](/source/Janet_Jackson)**

- *[Janet Jackson](/source/Janet_Jackson_(album))* (1982)

**With [DeBarge](/source/DeBarge)**

- *[In a Special Way](/source/In_a_Special_Way)* (1983)

**With [Smokey Robinson](/source/Smokey_Robinson)**

- *[Touch the Sky](/source/Touch_the_Sky_(Smokey_Robinson_album))* (1983)

**With [Teena Marie](/source/Teena_Marie)**

- *[Starchild](/source/Starchild_(Teena_Marie_album))* (1984)

**With [The Temptations](/source/The_Temptations)**

- *[Truly for You](/source/Truly_for_You)* (1984)

**With [Philip Bailey](/source/Philip_Bailey)**

- *[The Wonders of His Love](/source/The_Wonders_of_His_Love)* (1985)

**With [Bob Dylan](/source/Bob_Dylan)**

- *[Knocked Out Loaded](/source/Knocked_Out_Loaded)* (1986)

**With [Aretha Franklin](/source/Aretha_Franklin)**

- *[Aretha](/source/Aretha_(1986_album))* (1986)

**With [Wayne Kramer](/source/Wayne_Kramer_(guitarist))**

- *[The Hard Stuff](/source/The_Hard_Stuff_(Wayne_Kramer_album))* (1995)

## References

1. ["In Memory of James L. Jamerson III"](https://jameshcolefh.frontrunnerpro.com/book-of-memories/2451632/Jamerson-James/service-details.php). frontrunnerpro.com. Retrieved April 28, 2020.

1. ["James Jamerson Jr. Passes"](https://www.vintageguitar.com/23828/james-jamerson-jr-passes/). *[Vintage Guitar](/source/Vintage_Guitar_(magazine))*. 30 March 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2020.

1. ["R.I.P. Funk Brother James Jamerson Jr 1958-2016"](http://www.noise11.com/news/music-news-r-i-p-funk-brother-james-jamerson-1958-2016-20160325). noise11.com. March 25, 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2020.

1. ["RPM Top 100 Singles - February 17, 1979"](http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.0109a.pdf)

1. ["Bassist James Jamerson Jr. made a name of his own"](https://eu.freep.com/story/entertainment/music/2016/03/25/james-jamerson-jr-bass-player-dead-at-58/82266260/). Detroit Free Press. March 25, 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2020.

## External links

- [James Jamerson Jr.](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1268886/) at IMDb

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [James Jamerson Jr.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Jamerson_Jr.) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Jamerson_Jr.?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.