SPECIAL PHOTO

The Albany Journal publishes Vintage Albany photos each week. In this picture is famed musicians Harry James, who was born Henry Haag James on March 15, 1916 in Albany. He was an instrumentalist during the swing era who became one of the U.S.’s most popular bandleaders in the 1940s and continued to lead his band until just before he died on July 5, 1983. James’ father was a bandleader for a traveling circus who put his son on a strict daily trumpet practice schedule at age 10. In 1931, the family settled in Beaumont, Texas, where James began playing with local dance bands.