| Casey James | |
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Casey James in July 2010 |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Casey Everett James |
| Born | May 31, 1982 Plano, Texas |
| Origin | Fort Worth, Texas, United States |
| Genres | Pop, country, rock, blues[1] |
| Occupations | Singer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, mandolin |
| Years active | 2008–present |
| Labels | 19 Recordings/BNA Records |
Casey Everett James (born May 31, 1982)[2] is an American singer and guitarist from Fort Worth, Texas, who was the third-place finalist on the ninth season of American Idol.
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Born in Plano and raised in Cool, Texas,[3] James had a bad reaction to his pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine when he was an infant, and his family feared brain damage.[1][4][5] According to his mother, however, she realized that he would be all right and was going to be musical when he started humming before he talked.[4]
James started playing the guitar at 13 and within a year was playing on stage. James has played acoustic sets with his mother, Debra "Bybee" James, and blues with his older brother, Billy Cole. He has also played with country and rock bands.[6][7] At the age of 21, he was in a serious motorcycle accident that nearly ended his life. He was told by his doctor that he would no longer be able to play guitar, a medical prediction that proved untrue.[8] During the American Idol hometown visits, James returned to the hospital where he was treated for his injuries and presented an autographed guitar to his surgeon, Dr. Cory Collinge.[9]
Before American Idol, he played with his band, The Casey James Band, consisting of James, his brother, Bills Cole (bass), and Jacy McCann (drums). They recorded four songs, including the first song that James ever wrote, "Freezing," back in 2002.
James cites blues guitarist Doyle Bramhall II as a major musical influence and whom he would most like to perform with in his Idol Q&A.[1] Another major influence is Stevie Ray Vaughan; James named Vaughn's In the Beginning (1992) as a formative album in his early years.
I got an album called “In the Beginning” and I learned every note on it, which was easier to do because it was early on in his career [it was recorded in 1980]. I learned all those notes and it opened me up to the blues. When you look what he was doing, a lot of it was covers, and then you go back and start listening to those guys -- the originals Albert King, Freddie King, Albert Collins -- those influences changed me, too.
Other influences cited in the article are southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd and Pearl Jam.[10]
James was a contestant on American Idol during its ninth season. He made it to the Top 3 before being eliminated on May 19, 2010. James had tried out for and been selected to compete in the ninth season of Idol in 2009 in spite of the fact that he had never seen the show.[11] He was the oldest contestant to be selected for the Top 24 of the ninth season at the age of 27. James was voted off of the competition on May 19, 2010, and finished in third place. During the finale of American Idol, he performed a duet of "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" with Bret Michaels.[12]
USA Today music critic Brian Mansfield suggested that James was "the best guitar player the show [American Idol] has seen."[13]
James joined the rest of the Top 10 on the American Idols LIVE! tour. His four-song set included "I Got Mine" by The Black Keys, "Don't" by Shania Twain, "It's All Over Now" by Bobby Womack, and "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman" by Bryan Adams alongside fellow contestant Michael Lynche.
On August 17, 2010, it was announced that James had signed with Sony Music Nashville and his debut album will be released on 19 Recordings/BNA Records in 2011.[14] Sony Music Nashville Chairman and CEO Gary Overton said: "We at Sony Music Nashville are incredibly excited about signing CASEY JAMES. I flew to NEW YORK to see him 'live' with the American Idol Tour and I was blown away with his voice, guitar playing and stage presence...and so were the thousands of fans in the amphitheatre. He has honed his skills as a showman with his years of performing live on stage! I can't wait to get him into the studio to begin recording his debut album."[15] James is currently set to work with country songwriter Tom Douglas. Douglas has said of James that "he's the real deal. He's a great singer and great guitar player, so I'm looking forward to writing with him."[16]
James has collaborated with some of country music's notable songwriters including Aimee Mayo,[17] Alabama's Randy Owen, Sugarland's Kristian Bush, Delbert McClinton,[18] and Grammy-winner Tom Douglas. He's also appeared before live audiences around the U.S.; in March 2011 he opened for Sugarland on their The Incredible Machine Tour[19] and has been playing other solo and opening gigs including performing at the ACM Awards fan party[20] and 2011 CMA Fest.[21]
James first single, "Let's Don't Call It a Night", was released on August 15, 2011, and sold 5,000 copies in its debut week.[22]
| Single | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | |||
| "Let's Don't Call It a Night" | 2011 | 32[23] | TBD |
| Video | Year | Director |
|---|---|---|
| "Let's Don't Call It a Night"[24] | 2011 | Roman White |
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