Alexander James Adams

Alexander James Adams

Alexander James Adams performing with Tricky Pixie in 2009 at Faerieworlds.
Background information
Also known as Heather Alexander
Born (1962-11-08) November 8, 1962
Genres World, Celtic
Instruments Voice, violin, guitar, bodhrán
Years active 1985–present
Labels SeaFire Productions, Inc.
Associated acts Phoenyx, Uffington Horse, Tricky Pixie
Website www.FaerieTaleMinstrel.com

Alexander James Adams (born November 8, 1962) is an American singer, musician and songwriter in the Celtic and World music genres. He blends mythical, fantasy, and traditional themes in performances, switching between instrumental fiddle and songs accompanied by guitar, bodhrán, and fiddle playing. He has also been a popular and influential artist in the field of filk music.

Adams performed as Heather Alexander for 25 years before beginning to tour as Alexander James Adams.[1][2][3] His website refers to him as the 'heir' to Heather Alexander,[4] and continues to credit songs originally released as Heather Alexander under that name.[5]

The last public performance as Heather was at OryCon 2006. His debut as Alexander James Adams was at Seattle's Norwescon 30, on 6 April 2007.

Career

Mid 1980s - 2006

Alexander James Adams at a performance in April, 2007.

A native of California, Alexander began performing original music in the mid-eighties for friends, Renaissance fairs, and science fiction conventions. Off Centaur Publications was recording performances at one convention and asked to include Alexander. This began an association where Alexander recorded for Off Centaur and later Firebird Arts and Music, primarily work for hire.[6]

In the late 1980s Alexander co-founded the Celtic fusion rock band Phoenyx, which released one album, Keepers of the Flame. The band disbanded in 1991 after achieving a high degree of local fame, and that album is no longer in print.[7]

Alexander returned to a solo career. Firebird Arts & Music produced a live album which did well enough to inspire Alexander to create a label (Sea Fire Productions, Inc.) for the release Wanderlust 1994. Two live concert albums and several studio albums have followed.[6][8] Alexander also moved to the Pacific Northwest, settling in Banks, Oregon in 2002. In 2001, Alexander founded a new band, Uffington Horse, together with Andrew Hare and Dan Ochipinti and continued to perform solo gigs between band appearances. In 2004, a limited run of the Uffington Horse promotional CD was offered to fans to help finance recording their first studio album, Enchantment, published in 2004.[8] In 2002, Heather Alexander told Strange Horizons that "I tend to think of myself as a 'musical entertainer.' I sing, play, compose, and tell stories."[6]

2007 - present

In early 2007 Adams transitioned to male and since April 2007 has performed in many of the venues that he had formerly played as Heather Alexander. He has played with Uffington Horse and has also formed a new band, Tricky Pixie, with S.J. Tucker and Betsy Tinney. In summer 2007, the band released a recording of their first concert, Live!, which is the earliest released recording of Adams' voice.[9]

Alexander James Adams at Conflikt in January, 2010.

Adams' first post-transition solo album, Cat & The Fiddle, was entirely instrumental. Balance of Nature, released in fall 2007, mixed a few of his older works (such as Creature of the Wood) with new songs.

In November 2007, Adams released the Yule album Wintertide, featuring duets between both Adams' and Heather Alexander's voices. As noted in Adams' interview in Just Out, Wintertide is the first album with a series of these duets.[2] A Familiar Promise, released in July 2008, also includes duets between both voices.

Literary collaborations and references

Several of the Firebird Arts and Music albums include collaborations with Mercedes Lackey and inspired by the works of Andre Norton. (See the discography below for more information.)

The 2002 album Insh'Allah was inspired by Steven Barnes's novel Lion's Blood. The songs and the book were written concurrently, and several of the songs are quoted in the book and its sequel.[6]

In a similar vein, the 2006 album Merlin's Descendants is based on the fiction of Irene Radford.[8][10]

S.M. Stirling quotes Alexander's song lyrics in his Island in the Sea of Time trilogy. His Emberverse series features a red-haired musician who plays guitar, fiddle, and bodhran named Juniper Mackenzie. Alexander's song lyrics are used as Mackenzie's songs in the book. (Juniper and heather are both plants.)[11]

John Ringo quotes Alexander's song March of Cambreadth in his Council Wars series (for the Centurions' battle song) as well as in the Paladin of Shadows series.[12] March of Cambreadth and Black Unicorn are also quoted in the Looking Glass series.

Mike Shepherd used the song March of Cambreadth in his book Defiant. Defiant also has a character named Heather Alexander.

Several of his songs have been parodied, most notably March of Cambreadth.

Pegasus Awards

He has received three Pegasus Awards:

Discography

The albums listed through Everafter are billed as Heather Alexander. Later are billed as Alexander James Adams. Despite the transition, all lyrics, music, and recordings originally copyright Heather Alexander retain the copyright of Heather Alexander.

Solo Albums

Unless otherwise noted, albums feature a mix of traditional & original Celtic music.

Band albums

DVD

Books

Guest appearances

This includes compilations and backing appearances for other artists.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Radcon 5 draws sci-fi, fantasy fans to Pasco, Tri-City Herald, Feb 17, 2008. The article refers to "[t]ransgender Celtic performer Alexander James Adams", adding that "[t]he singer-songwriter toured across the U.S. and in England and Germany as Heather Alexander for 25 years before beginning to tour as Alexander, said Kore Adams, his partner."
  2. 1 2 The Disappearance of Heather Alexander, Just Out, March 7, 2008, pp 24-25. Archived March 21, 2008, at the Wayback Machine. Adams discusses his transition and career in this interview.
  3. ↑ Q & A with AJ Adams, Pacific Fen Spotlight Episode 116a, September 27, 2008. Alec discusses the fact that Heather Alexander was transgender.
  4. ↑ Alexander James Adams' website
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 See Alexander James Adams albums on http://www.faerietaleminstrel.com
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Strange Horizons Interview, 29 July 2002". Strangehorizons.com. 2002-07-29. Archived from the original on 19 September 2015. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  7. 1 2 For more information see the Heatherlands.com page on the album, including information from the album's press kit; Heatherlands.com FAQ; Mark Ungar's Discography Archived 2008-02-20 at the Wayback Machine.; Cat Taylor Discography Archived 2008-05-12 at the Wayback Machine.; Our Keepers of the Flame re-release effort: a second perspective Archived 2010-05-27 at the Wayback Machine..
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Discography on the official website, www.heatherlands.com Archived February 14, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
  9. 1 2 3 For more information see the Tricky Pixie website
  10. ↑ Irene Radford's site.
  11. ↑ This been commented on in reviews and convention programs.
  12. ↑ Per the Midsummer page on the official website, www.heatherlands.com Archived 2013-09-20 at the Wayback Machine., and BAEN books site.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Discography Archived February 14, 2008, at the Wayback Machine. and old order page on official website.
  14. ↑ For more information see the archived product page Archived 2005-01-13 at the Wayback Machine..
  15. ↑ For more information, see the Uffington Horse website Archived 2008-02-16 at the Wayback Machine.
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