Chris James and Patrick Rynn

[ edit ]
San Diego native Chris James was skilled enough on harp at the age of 13 to join Tomcat Courtney’s band. He eventually switched over to guitar. In 1990, Chris made his first pilgrimage to Chicago. It was in Chicago that Chris first met Toledo, OH native Patrick Rynn. Patrick had been classically trained on bass before hooking on as bassist with Toledo’s leading blues band, the Griswolds. An impromptu performance by the pair at a tribute for Little Walter led to an opportunity to work with Sam Lay. The two anchored the powerhouse drummer’s band for five years. Chris and Patrick would later team up to record several albums with Rob Stone. They also toured extensively with Jody Williams during his comeback.
In 2008, Chris and Patrick released their first CD (Stop And Think About It) as featured artists. That release earned them a BMA nomination in 2009 for Best New Artist Debut. Patrick Rynn would go on to earn three additional BMA nominations as Best Blues Bass Player (2010, 2011, 2012). "Stop And Think About It" spent three months on the Living Blues Radio Chart peaking at #6 in October, 2008.
Their lastest Earwig Music release "Gonna Boogie Anyway" came in at #18 on the Living Blues Top 50 Blues Albums for 2010. The release featured eight original songs and included performances by Sam Lay, David Maxwell, Henry Gray, Bob Corritore, Willie Hayes, and Rob Stone. The release spent four consecutive months on the Living Blues Radio Chart peaking at #4 in August, 2010.
Chris James and Patrick Rynn have also been featured on more than a dozen other releases including recordings by Sam Lay, Jody Williams, Dennis Binder, Big Pete Pearson, and Tomcat Courtney. They were featured in Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues and in Godfathers and Sons: A Film by Mark Levin (PBS).
Chris and Patrick recently returned from Europe where they played a number of festivals including Lucern (Switzerland) and Hondarribia (Spain). Their performances in Hondarribia were broadcast on Spanish television.
For more information check out there website www.chrisjamesandpatrickrynn.com