Just like a miner who comes straggling out of the hills is a survivor of the Gold Rush, this artist is a survivor of the glitzy late-'70s disco era. James was primarily a songwriter and studio artist, specializing in that decade's phenomenon of musical technology -- the synthesizer -- at which he was one of the smoothest proponents. And for a minute, Casey James was on the charts as a member of the duo Bell & James. This duo, known for disco with a touch of jazz, rang the hit parade chimes with one of the great party songs, "Livin' It Up (Friday Night)." It was an anthem for l...