The James Solberg Band is best known for being Luther Allison's American backup band for the past several years, while Solberg himself played on and off with Allison for almost three decades. Solberg and Allison had a long, friendly working relationship that dates back to the early 1970s. James Solberg frequently co-wrote with Allison, but since Luther spent a good portion of each year in Europe, Solberg toured with his band under his own name when Allison was not around. In the late '90s, Solberg released several albums under his own name; the records drew high praise from critics, and well they should — Solberg was no spring chicken when it comes to playing blues and touring. He has broken many a guitar string and logged thousands of miles in his van since he started to get serious about the music in the late 1960s. By the very nature of his job as a sideman, it may take a while for the blues-buying public to realize that Solberg is a phenomenally talented songwriter, guitarist and singer in his own right.