Scottish dancing master, fiddler (violinist) and composer. He is considered to be one of the most influential fiddlers (violinists) in Scottish traditional music, and is known as "the Strathspey King".
Born in Banchory in August 1843. His father, William, a gardener to trade, also played the fiddle. Unfortunately, he lost three fingers of his left hand as the result of an accident at a wedding where he was playing, when the firelock of a gun he was firing (as was the custom at wedding festivities) burst. Following this William was unable to earn a living from gardening, but relearned the fiddle, so that the fingers of his right hand were used on the fingerboard instead of his left. He then made his living as a dancing master. "Dancie" Skinner, as he was known, died when James was only eighteen months old. James worked from an early age playing for dancing with other musicians. His brother Sandy taught him to play the fiddle at the age of six by ear; then "with a view to assisting Sandy at dances, I also received simple instruction in the art of vamping on the 'cello, which in those days was called the 'bass fiddle,' and was transported from place to place in a green baize bag. Skinner also worked with Peter Milne from Tarland, whom he held in very high esteem, playing for dances around the local area, and earning five shillings a month at the beginning. This at times was quite exhausting, and involved playing till late at night, and then sometimes having a long walk back from the dance, often in bad weather. He twice toured America to great acclaim. Although he is most famous as a composer of fiddle music, he was a renowned solo performer on the instrument and gramophone recordings of his playing were made. He died in Aberdeen on 17 March 1927, and a monument to him was erected in Allenvale Cemetery in Aberdeen. A memorial plaque to the composer is also found on the High Street in Banchory.