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About Zachary James

Long before he picks up his guitar, and long before he begins to sing, you know that Zachary James is going to bring something special to the song world. His low-key demeanor, his warmth and his charm draw you in. Then he picks up his guitar, starts to sing and that's where the story begins.

But we've gotten ahead of ourselves. Born into a big Cajun family on Bayou Lafourche in south Louisiana, James formed his first “band” which was little more than he and a friend banging on trash cans and blowing a trumpet in the family garage. He fronted a few bands during high school and was good enough to draw him on the stages of revered New Orleans’ clubs opening for national and international touring acts.

James honed his songwriting skills fronting an indie rock band in New Orleans and after a bit of success, the band powered their way out of the murkiness of south Louisiana with post-punk attitude, rawness, and noise-pop infused songs, relocating to New York City. The band found an enthusiastic following, playing coveted showcases at CBGBs and touring up and down the East Coast. But James and The Big City didn’t mesh well. Dejected and depressed, James quit and began writing solo material for his first solo album —The Last Great Golden Temptation.

Several of the songs featured on The Last Great Golden Temptation were written while James was still living in New York. But as it has so often before, the road beckoned and he found himself back in Louisiana and then Alaska, a move James has credited with clearing his mind to continue his songwriting and performing. After the release of his first album and after five years in Alaska, James relocated to Southern California, where he spent fifteen years before relocating to Texas in 2021.

James' influences are no surprise and they're always hovering in the background, influences like John Prine, Nina Simone, Leonard Cohen, The Byrds, Nick Cave, The Beach Boys, Bright Eyes, Waylon Jennings, Buck Owens, and The Band. But there's the influence of geography that lies beneath the surface and they share an important role: Louisiana bayous, the streets of Manhattan, the wilds of Alaska, the California coast and the vast expanses of Texas. The third leg of influence is the undeniable sphere of his kids, family, and close friends.

His latest releases invite listeners to stroll through James’ consciousness as he explores his body of creative work under a holistic narrative lense, releases it into the world, and builds a better understanding of his place in our shared human experience.

James said he limited the editing to some of the songs in order to preserve the authenticity of the original idea. You won’t find these songs on the rack at the department store, these are songs you’ll find on a dusty shelf at the hardware store. James takes them in and nurtures them, sometimes adding a bit of polish, sometimes not.

Some songwriters make their meaning clear, others trust you to work out the meaning. Never mind that, just listen to the music and James will tell you all you need to know.

Zachary James is currently releasing singles in his Journey of 1000 Songs project throughout 2023, with a full-length album, The Great In-Between to be released in spring 2025.