He is best known as the principal lead guitarist of Big Brother and the Holding Company, a psychedelic/acid rock band from San Francisco which was fronted by singer Janis Joplin from 1966 to 1968.
[6] With Joplin's departure, Big Brother and the Holding Company briefly disbanded in 1968, but a new lineup including Gurley and the other three original members (Sam Andrew, Peter Albin, and Dave Getz) reunited from 1969 to 1972.
As he did in later incarnations of Big Brother and the Holding Company, James added his distinctive bass lines and vocals; he also engineered and mixed the band's recordings.
Big Brother and the Holding Company again reunited in 1987 with original members Gurley, Sam Andrew, Peter Albin, and Dave Getz.
[5] His first CD entitled Saint James – Pipe Dreams included two members of the Worms, Mitch McKendry and Hongo Gurley.
Gurley, with fellow members of Big Brother, played at the induction ceremony for Joplin at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.