James Alexander (musician)

James Alexander (born 1948) is an American soul and R&B musician. He is a longtime member of the band The Bar-Kays, for which he plays bass guitar. He also is the father of noted hip-hop and R&B producer Phalon "Jazze Pha" Alexander, whom he named after late Bar-Kays bandmate Phalon Jones. Contrary to widespread belief, James Alexander's relationship, which produced his son Phalon, was "not" with R&B and gospel singer Deniece "Niecy" Williams, but rather with another woman (herself an experienced singer) named Denise Williams. [ [http://www.urbannetwork.com/SECTIONS/interviews/niecy.html Love & Lunch... Niecy Style] ]

James Alexander was the bassist for The Bar-Kays when four of the six band members, including Jones, were killed in the same plane crash that claimed the life of soul singer Otis Redding. Alexander was the only Bar-Kays member not aboard that flight as the plane, a Beechcraft owned by Redding, only held eight occupants (Redding, five of the Bar-Kays, the pilot and Redding's road manager); it was Alexander's turn in the rotation to board a commercial flight to the next destination. After the crash, Ben Cauley, the sole survivor among those who were aboard the plane, worked with Alexander to reform the band. To this date, Alexander continues on as the only original member in still-active Bar-Kays.

Alexander also played the bass guitar on the recording of the Academy Award-winning theme song from the 1971 feature film "Shaft".

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