Photo: McOleo / CC0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Harry James is one of those big band names I keep circling back to. What strikes me is the timing: he hit massive commercial success from 1939 to 1946, that golden stretch when a trumpet-playing bandleader could genuinely be a star. I respect that after breaking up the band in 1947 he didn't just fade out, he regrouped and kept leading right up until his death in 1983. That's nearly a lifetime committed to the same craft. The Hollywood Walk of Fame star and the film work tell me he was more than a sideline player. To me he reads as a working musician who never stopped working.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Harry James
- Name (Japanese)
- ハリー・ジェイムス
- Reading
- はりー・じぇいむす
- Born
- March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Pisces / Dragon
- Origin
- Albany, Georgia, United States
- Occupation
- trumpeter / bandleader / conductor / jazz musician / film actor
2. Background
- High school
- Beaumont High School
Awards & achievements
- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Harry James born?
March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983.
Where is Harry James from?
Harry James is from Albany, Georgia, United States.
What does Harry James do?
Harry James works as trumpeter, bandleader, conductor, jazz musician, film actor.
Trumpeter — see all → · Bandleader — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.