James Govan, born on September 2, 1949, in McComb, Mississippi, was an American blues and soul singer whose cavernous baritone voice became a staple on Beale Street. He began playing guitar by the age of 13 and played for the group The Vans before being discovered by George Jackson of FAME Studios. He recorded with Mickey Buckins in 1969 and released several singles that failed to chart. His album I'm In Need was released in 1987. He released the live performance album A Night on Beale featuring the Boogie Blues Band in 1998. Govan performed at the Porretta Soul Festival in Italy from 1993 to 1997. He received a key to the City of Memphis for his contributions to the Beale Street music scene. The album Wanted: The Fame Recordings was released by Ace Records in 2013. He died on July 18, 2014.
