[James settles down and starts to speak.]

I been singin’ ‘e Blues since ’e day I was born, an ’pro’lly a cou’le months before ‘at. No way could I ’a done no’in’ else. Got ‘e fire in my fingers, i’ you get me. But no. No, I star’ed playin’ when I’s ’bout ehh…

[James pauses.]

Six, se’en years? Daddy got me a nice li’l piece, from ‘e store ’at was ’cross ’e street from where we was livin’. Ooh, I loved ‘at guitar, wi’ its shiny new frets and tigh’ strings.

[James laughs before continuing.]

I played it all day long. No’ an hour wen’ by ‘at I din’ touch it. Damn, em’s was good days. But i’ wasn’t till I was seventee’, I met ‘is girl. An’ by met, I mean fell head ove’ heels for ‘er. She was ’e finest thing I ever seen, an’ ‘e kindest soul outside o’ my Mama I ever met.

[James pauses again, his expression becomes more pensive.]

Got hi’ by a bus not three weeks a’ter I met ‘er. Dea’ on arri’al, ’at’s what ‘e doctors said. But i’ tore me up. ’At’s when I really star’ed playin. ’At’s when ’e Blues came.