James Jamerson’s Hometown to Rename Street for the Iconic Bassist

Edisto Island, South Carolina residents will be “Dancing in the Streets” after they rename a road for hometown hero James Jamerson. The town will rename “Steamboat Landing Road” in Charleston County to “James Lee Jamerson Memorial Way” with appropriate markers to celebrate the bassist.

Jamerson was born and raised in Edisto Island, moving to Detroit when he was 18. There, he made his mark on the world as a session bassist for Motown Records. His bass lines propelled hits such as “My Girl” by The Temptations, “Shotgun” by Jr. Walker & the All Stars, “For Once In My Life” by Stevie Wonder, “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye, and many more.

A ceremony will take place on August 19th at 4:30 pm to officially rename the street. Guest speakers will be followed by a musical tribute to Jamerson at the Edisto Beach Civic Center.

The street marks another milestone in giving Jamerson the recognition he deserves. Back in 2021, the bassist’s headstone was upgraded to a black marble block featuring his image and topped with a bass guitar sculpture.

For more details on the street renaming ceremony, visit the Edisto Art Guild website.