Colin James will open for Bryan Adams when he plays both tonight at the Moncton Coliseum and Thursday night at Harbour Station in Saint John.

Blues rock chameleon Colin James is sticking to his musical guns.

James, 39, broke out nationally at the same time as another guitar whiz kid, Jeff Healey, in the late 1980s. The two became stars the same way: by touring constantly and putting on blazing blues-rock shows. The two even toured together early on, young men hungry for mainstream acceptance, which they earned in spades.

But Healey, unlike James, has since sworn off his past.

"First of all, to swear off something that you have brought fans along with you is a bad idea. I feel that same way about Ry Cooder," James said, quickly adding that he respects both men immensely as musicians. But he doesn't understand how an artist can reject a considerable part of their career, which their old fans hold dear.

Of course, James is the first to admit that he too can be held prisoner by his early success. James classics like 'Voodoo Thing', 'Just Came Back', and 'Five Long Years' from his first two albums still get lots of spin on classic rock radio.

"Right now, it's just so skewed out there. Classic rock stations are so careful. They will take one, maybe two (new) singles, then they'll play 'Five Long Years' again. I don't want to hear those songs again. Who is pulling the strings?" James said.

James has gone on to release nine albums, the latest of which, Traveler, was released late last year.

Of his two-decade-plus career, James said, "I can't believe it, either. For me, I kind of promised myself to do two contemporary records after last big band record. I'm trying to become a better writer."

Count on hearing some of the old hits, along with the new, when Colin James opens for Bryan Adams tonight at the Moncton Coliseum and Thursday at Saint John's Harbour Station.

In addition to having some new James material, Traveler also includes some interesting covers, from John Lennon's I'm Losing You to Nick Drake's doomsday cult classic, Black Eyed Dog.

While keeping his old blues-rock roots, James continues to evolve. Just look at his work with his Little Big Band, which started in 1993, years before the brief swing revival took hold. He's already thinking about a third Little Big Band project.

It's this eclecticism that allows James to play with everyone from George Thorogood, as he recently has, to jazz and blues festivals, to opening for Bryan Adams.

James makes no bones about checking his ego at the door and playing opening act, even after all his years in music.

"For someone like Bryan, he can draw, 11,000, 12,000 people in some of these places. I can't. A lot of his fans listen to classic rock radio. I had my first adult contemporary single of this year, Make a Mistake. I'm probably playing to people who haven't heard it yet."