James Alexander grew up in Lafayette, La., to the sound of his father playing the latest songs by Muddy Waters, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Lightnin' Slim on the guitar. The rock 'n' roll sounds of Fats Domino, Little Richard, and Sam Cooke led James to start singing. At age 19, James joined his first band, the Candy Yams, as singer/drummer. After 2 years playing clubs and parties around the Lafayette area, James left the band to join Good Rockin' Dopsie. He sang the R&B/rock 'n' roll hits of the day backed by Dopsie's accordion for a year and a half.

James then joined the 11-piece Lil' Buck and the Top Cats as the singer. Backed by the ferocious Top Cats, James would scream songs by James Brown, Wilson Pickett, Jackie Wilson, and Sam Cooke. The hard-charging Lil' Buck and the Top Cats toured all across southwest Louisiana and east Texas, routinely hitting Houston, Alexandria, Lake Charles, Beaumont, and all the towns in between. Lil' Buck and The Top Cats recorded two 45s for the La Louisianne label. James's vocals were featured on the ballad, "You Got the Power."

After five years with Lil' Buck and the Top Cats, James put his music career on hold, working in the oil industry to raise and support his family. Known for his flashy style of fashion and ability to sing the hell out of a song, James will be singing in New Orleans for the first time ever at the 2013 Ponderosa Stomp Concert, reuniting with the powerhouse Lil' Buck and the Top Cats

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