James did NOT play his own songs. James can’t play a guitar. James has stated at reunion events that he thought Herb Ellis was the one doing the actual playing of the guitar in those episodes but James wasn’t certain. Earle Hagen was the music director for The Andy Griffith Show and he himself told TAGSRWC’s own Paul Mulik that the person playing was Barney Kessel so that’s good enough for me. Earle ought to know.