Real name: James William Gilreath

Effective period / Period of releases: 1963

American Pop/Country singer and songwriter (b. Nov. 14, 1936 Clay County, Mississippi, d. Sept. 7, 2003).
James started his musical career with a local band from Tupelo, Miss : The Nite-Liters also featuring John Mihelic. They had an instrumental single Nervous / Jealous Heart issued first on the Tennessee-based label Vee-Eight Records (# 0001/0002). The label also released Gilreath's first solo single "I Need It / Time Hasn't Helped - Vee-Eight # 1002)
James reached the one-hit wonder status with his self-penned single "Little Band of Gold" (Statue Records # 600 / Joy # 274) hitting #21 for Joy on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and R&B #19 in the spring of 1963.

Affter three other releases as-by Jimmy or James Gilreath on the Joy label and its closure in 1965, he decided to focus on writing songs.
His "Why Not Tonight?" reached R&B # 5 (and Pop #90 only) for Jimmy Hughes

Gilreath died at the age of 66 in a tractor accident at his farm in Saltillo, Miss