Colorblind James Experience were an alternative roots/pop/rock band founded in 1980 in San Francisco, California . Bandleader and singer/songwriter/guitarist "Colorblind" James Charles Cuminale was originally from Rochester, New York but assembled early versions of what would become the Experience in Oswego, New York before relocating to San Francisco. After several years of mixed results there, the band disbanded and Colorblind and his wife moved back to New York - this time to Rochester, which remained home base until Cuminale''s premature death in 2001. The band enjoyed a brief flirtation with fame in the UK and Europe after BBC DJ John Peel gave the Experience some exposure, and their music has made a deep and lasting impression.

Often humorous ("She''s a witch! You were gonna MARRY that girl. She''s probl''y been around for a thousand years." This quote is from a song NOT written by Colorblind James, but by Bernie Heveron, "The music stopped. And then it started again.") and parodic--and just as often laced with a profoundly questioning spirituality--their music blended elements of polka, country, circus rock, blues, rockabilly, rock & roll and other genres. The band''s sound was to a large extent inspired by the "old, weird America" famously chased by Bob Dylan and The Band during their Basement Tapes period, but other prominent influences included Ray Charles, Randy Newman, and Van Morrison.

Their line-up changed repeatedly over the years, and their third album was released under the name of Colorblind James and the Death Valley Boys.