Greg James (tattoo artist)

[1] Greg's tattoo designs and original artwork have appeared in magazines, books, documentaries, and at the Hard Rock Cafe.

At the age of fourteen, Greg began drawing flash for his brother, Tennessee Dave, and eventually apprenticed with him in 1976.

[2] From single-needle black-and-gray work to classic Americana tattoos and ultimately the large, custom Japanese artwork for which he has become well-known, Greg tattooed continuously in Los Angeles (on Main Street in downtown L.A. and also the Pike, in Long Beach) for nine years as he continued to hone his craft.

Originally opened by Lyle Tuttle in the 1960s, the shop was then owned by Cliff Raven and subsequently Robert Benedetti, pioneers and innovators in the Japanese style of tattooing.

For over twenty-five years, Greg played a large part in building the stature of the legendary studio, becoming "the real star at Sunset … the tattoo artist's tattooer.

[23] Despite being at the top of the industry and known worldwide,[1][3] Greg has also earned a reputation as "a genuinely nice guy",[11][24] "quiet, modest and understated",[25] "…one of the nicest people I've ever met, and his work is truly amazing.