Bluesman Blind James Campbell and his Friendly Five were a staple of the Nashville musical landscape for decades. Campbell was born in 1906; although he played guitar from the age of 13, he did not pursue performing as a livelihood until he was 30, when he was left permanently blind following an accident. He formed a group dubbed the Nashville Washboard Band, which consisted of himself on vocals and guitar, with mandolin, lard can (or tub bass), and washboard players. They honed their skills on the streets and at parties, typically playing to white audiences but also at Black roadhouses. Campbell followed the same path in the years that followed, later rechristening the band the Friendly Five. In 1962, he was discovered by Arhoolie Records chief Chris Strachwitz, who recorded Campbell and his band in Nashville for the LP Blind James Campbell & His Nashville Street Band.