From:  "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Sun Aug 1, 2004  2:34 am 
Subject:  This Is My Story : James Wayne(s)
 
JAMES "WEE WILLIE" WAYNE

Born James D. Waynes, circa 1923, Texas. Probably deceased.

I first heard James Wayne(s) via "Travelin' Mood" on the LP "Urban Blues:
New Orleans Bounce" (Imperial LM-94004), which I bought in 1970, not
long after it came out. An infectious song with an unusual rhythm and
lots of whistling. In the 1980's I found a Dutch bootleg LP by Wayne
called "Travelin' From Texas To New Orleans" (Sundown CG 709-02, 18
tracks). What follows is mostly adapted from the anonymous liner notes
for that LP.

James Waynes was credited with that name on his earliest recordings.
Later it became James Wayne and from 1955 onwards, Wee Willie Wayne.
He was an R&B singer with a distinctive voice, who was discovered in Texas
by Bob Shad, the man probably best known to R&R fans as the owner of the
Time, Brent and Shad labels in NYC in the late fifties and early sixties.
However, Shad started out recording Southern R&B and blues on his Sittin'
In With label in 1948. It was for this label that Wayne made his first recording
(in Houston) and his only hit: "Tend To Your Business", which reached # 2
on the Billboard R&B charts in 1951. Shad next recorded Waynes at the
WGST studio in Atlanta, Georgia. Among the five songs recorded there was
the all-time classic "Junco Partner" (subtitled "Worthless Man" on the old
78), which became a local hit. Waynes was then signed by Imperial, who
recorded him in New Orleans. Although he was backed by some of the
Crescent City's finest session men (Lee Allen, Edward Frank, Justin Adams,
Frank Fields), the style on these records is more Texas than New Orleans.
After excursions to Aladdin and Old Town, Waynes returned to Imperial in
1955 and recorded "Travelin' Mood" (among others) on May 27, 1955. Both
"Junco Partner" and "Travelin' Mood" became standards in the repertoire of
many New Orleans musicians, like Dr. John, Professor Longhair, James
Booker and Snooks Eaglin. Further records appeared on the Peacock and
Angletone labels, before Waynes was signed by Imperial for a third time in
1961. On February 22 of that year he rerecorded his hit "Tend To Your
Business" in a more contemporary style, along with five other tracks.
Imperial reissued "Travelin' Mood" on Imperial 5725 and also released a
compilation of old and new Wayne material with that title on Imperial LP
9144. Sales were disappointing, though, and the 1961 Imperial recordings
were probably his last ones.

Besides being a singer with a very personal vocal style, Waynes played
at least one instrument, drums. He also wrote his own material. Judging
by his looks, it is not unlikely that he had Indian blood. In 1968 it was
alleged that he was nursed in a mental institution in Leavensworth and
in 1974 there was a rumour that he was living in Los Angeles. That's
where the trail runs cold. Perhaps someone (Dave P.?) can shed further
light on what happened to him? I don't even know if he's dead or alive.
His music is well worth seeking out, a fine blend of Texas blues and New
Orleans R&B.

There is one CD available, probably a bootleg:
James Wee Willie Wayne, From Texas To New Orleans (Bayou 1004,
released in 2002, 31 tracks).

http://www.louisianamusicfactory.com/showoneprod.asp?TypeID=52&ProductID=2531