James Honeyman-Scott was born on November 4, 1956, in Hereford, England, He began taking piano lessons at the age of seven, although he never learned to read music At the age of ten, he began playing guitar. He went on to play with several bands, including Cheeks, which included former Mott the Hoople founding member/keyboardist Verden Allen. It was during his tenure with Cheeks that Honeyman-Scott became friendly with fellow local musicians Martin Chambers (drums) and Pete Farndon (bass). Honeyman-Scott paid the bills during these lean years by selling guitars in a shop and growing vegetables, as well as lending his guitar talents to albums by such obscure artists as Robert John Godrey and Tommy Morrison. In 1978 Honeyman-Scott received a phone call from his pal Farndon, inquiring if he'd like to try out for a new band he had formed with singer/songwriter/guitarist Chrissie Hynde. The tryout was a success, but Honeyman-Scott had second thoughts. Eager to get James in the band, Hynde and Farndon got Honeyman-Scott's hero Nick Lowe to produce the band's first single, "Stop Your Sobbing." When notified of this James immediately agreed to join the band. The Pretenders' self-titled 1980 debut album was an immediate hit and remains a classic rock album. The band's sudden success began to fracture the band, as both Honeyman-Scott and Farndon sank heavily into hard drugs. A month after the release of a stopgap mini-album in March 1981 (Extended Play), Honeyman-Scott wed model Peggy Sue Fender in London. Soon after, the band regrouped and recorded their second album, Pretenders II, released later the same year. The album was another hit, but drug problems still plagued the group. In June 1982, Hynde, Chambers, Honeyman-Scott decided that Farndon should be excused from the band due to his excessive drug use. Ironically, Honeyman-Scott was found dead from a cocaine/heroin overdose on June 16th, only two days later. ( Farndon would die from drug-related causes as well a year later). The Pretenders continued on with replacement members, including guitarist Robbie McIntosh, whom Honeyman-Scott had suggested asking to join the band as a guitarist prior to his death.