Jimmy James Born:  August 10, 1912 Died:  January 27, 2004 WLS National Barn Dance WLS Chicago, IL WMMN Fairmont, WV

About The Artist Jimmy was one of the comedy acts on WLS' National Barn Dance back in the 1940's. That talent came in handy when he had to join the armed forces during World War II to help the soldiers forget about the war a bit. But before he even got to WLS, we find he honed those talents a bit back on WMMN in Fairmont, West Virginia. He had a dance band background, so that might explain his talents with the trombone. He also played for a time with H.M. Barnes' Blue Ridge Ramblers before arriving on the scene at WMMN. When he got there, he formed a group called the Hickory Nuts. Handling the vocals for that group were Mary Ann Estes and Enoch "Eli" Haney. And James did the comedy and did coerced some strange sounds from his trombone, or even a hot water bottle and 'other instruments'. They did material that was comedy in nature, novelty numbers to even sad ballads say of, children dying, such as a number called "WIll There Be A Santa Claus In Heaven?" Timeline and Trivia Notes Real name was Vincent Gamelli Married, wife, Macel Two sons, Don and Jimmy Appearance History This Month

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