Tail Dragger was born James Yancy Jones in 1940 in Altheimer, Arkansas where he grew up motherless and fatherless. Raised by his grandparents he got into Muddy Waters and Jimmy Reed while still a child. As a youngster he imitated Holin' Wolf to the delight of his friends, so much that his voice was hoarse much of the time. In his teens he saw Sonny Boy WIlliamson and Sonny Boy is still a strong influence.
Another early influence was Boyd Gilmore. James Jones moved to Chicago in 1966 where he met his hero, the Howlin' Wolf at Sylvio's. By the early 70's "Crawlin' James" as he was then known had been a guest on the Wolf show. Wolf gave him the name "Taildragger."
He has spent the last 20 plus years blaying the little blues clubs on the South and West side of Chicago. Many blues songs tell of shooting over a cheating woman or a lying man. After months of feuding, a fight broke out between Tail Dragger and another West Side bluesman, Boston Blackie. Tail Dragger shot Boston Blackie. Blackie died. Tail Dragger was incarcerated in an Illinois prison for 17 months. He claimed self defense.
Tail Dragger has one of the most powerful voices in Chicago blues today, and cuts such a dapper and dangerous looking figure he barely needs to sing to convey the blues!