James Valentine (musician)
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| James Valentine | |
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 James Valentine in concert November 29th 2007
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| Background information | |
| Born | October 5, 1978 Lincoln, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Genre(s) | Rock Pop Funk |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar |
| Years active | 2001 - present |
| Label(s) | A&M Octone |
| Associated acts | Maroon 5 |
| Website | Maroon 5 Official |
| Notable instrument(s) | |
| Gibson Les Paul Fender Telecaster Minarik Inferno |
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James Burgon Valentine (born October 5, 1978 in Lincoln, Nebraska) is an American musician. He is best known as the guitarist for the pop rock group Maroon 5.
Valentine played in Lincoln bands Kid Quarkstar, Mondello,and Happy Dog. In 2000, Happy Dog changed its name to Square and he moved to Los Angeles from Anaheim, CA. where he taught private guitar lessons out of his home.
Eventually the members of Square and Kara's Flowers became friends and when Kara's Flowers began looking for another guitarist, Valentine was tapped. It was a tough decision for Valentine, but personal tensions in Square helped the decision, and shortly afterward, Kara's Flowers became Maroon 5.
Valentine is a longtime friend of John Mayer, whom he met in 1996 at a weeklong guitar school at Berklee in Boston. Valentine once tried to get Mayer to move to Lincoln to play guitar for the Lincoln blues rock band Baby Jason and the Spankers. An opening slot on Mayer's 2004 summer tour helped bring widespread exposure to Maroon 5. Valentine most recently contributed guitar work to Mayer's September 2006 release Continuum on the songs "Stop This Train" and "In Repair."
Valentine was raised as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) and has three sisters and one brother. His family now lives in Utah, and both parents work for Brigham Young University, which is owned and operated by the LDS church. Valentine does not consider himself to be an active Mormon. His mother is a former beauty queen.
Most recently, James Valentine has played guitar on Jenny Lewis's solo album, Rabbit Fur Coat, and has appeared in her music video for "Rise Up with Fists!!"
Before finding fame with Maroon 5, Valentine has also played with Reel Big Fish, firstly when guitarist Aaron Barrett broke his hand, and then later in 2001 when Barrett fell down some stairs. Valentine displayed a picture from one Reel Big Fish show he played during Maroon 5's appearance on MTV Cribs.
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