There's a reunion in Nashville with Emmylou Harris and the other members of her original Hot Band. He's also been invited to play at the inauguration ceremony of the UK's Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in which tributes to Presley and Nelson will take pride of place. Appropriately James's New Brighton gig will be a tribute to the songs of Ricky with a little bit of Elvis thrown in. "We will never be able to replace the likes of Elvis or Ricky they gave so much," says Burton affectionately in his soft Louisiana drawl. Burton, who would skip school to play guitar and turned professional at just 14, was especially close to Nelson. He played with him on some of his greatest pop songs in the late 50s and early 60s including Never Be Anyone Else But You, It's Late and the Gene Pitney composition Hello Mary Lou. "Ricky was a wonderful guy," Burton recalls of Nelson who struggled to find a new direction after his early hits and died when a chartered plane carrying him to a concert in Dallas caught fire and crashed near De Kalb, Texas, on December 31 1985, "There was a little shyness about him but he was a wonderful entertainer. When I joined him in 1958 I lived with him and his family in the Hollywood Hills - I almost became like a third son to him." Later, Burton split from Nelson and his legend as an in-demand session man grew. Armed with his trusty Fender Telecaster he would be doing up to 25 sessions a week with some of the finest musicians in the States. Word of his prowess soon reached Elvis who in 1968 had been rejuvenated by his TV 'Comeback Special'. The following year Burton formed a backing band for his marathon stint of Las Vegas engagements. Burton would remain with Elvis until his untimely demise in 1977. "Elvis was a great showman with charisma and a great energy on stage - he was the number one and Ricky was number two," says James who is still not decided which of of his two heroes' songs he will be playing at the New Brighton gig. And talking of heroes after this latest tour Burton's attention will be focused on the International Guitar Festival of his own that he is organising in his home town of Shreveport. This will take place on the three days around his 66th birthday on August 21 next year. "I'm going to be inviting some of my great guitarist friends to come and play. | 
