Jim James | |
|---|---|
 James performing in 2007 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | James Edward Olliges Jr. |
| Also known as | Yim Yames |
| Born | (1978-04-27)April 27, 1978 (age 46) |
| Origin | Louisville, Kentucky, US |
| Genres | Psychedelic rock,indie rock,jam rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, musician, guitarist |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals,guitar,bass,keyboards,omnichord,drums,percussion,harmonica,banjo |
| Years active | 1992—present |
| Labels | |
| Member of | My Morning Jacket |
| Formerly of | |
| Signature | |
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James Edward Olliges Jr. (born April 27, 1978), professionally known asJim James orYim Yames,[1][2] is an Americanvocalist, guitarist, producer, and primary songwriter of the rock bandMy Morning Jacket. He has also released several solo albums.
James grew up in theHighlands–Douglass neighborhood ofLouisville, Kentucky. He attended St. Martha grade school and graduated fromSt. Xavier High School in 1996.[3] James briefly attended theUniversity of Kentucky.
Prior to forming My Morning Jacket, James was the vocalist and guitarist of Month of Sundays, currently known as Mont de Sundua.[4]
As the vocalist,frontman,producer, and lead songwriter for My Morning Jacket, James has been instrumental in defining the sound of the band.[5] He was given an "Esky" for best songwriter inEsquire's 2006 Esky Music Awards in the April issue.
James typically playsrhythm guitar,acoustic guitar, and occasionallead guitar on My Morning Jacket songs. He played the role of the band leader in theBob Dylan biopicI'm Not There, singing the song "Going to Acapulco", withCalexico as his backing band, which was featured on the soundtrack of the film.Rolling Stone listed James among their "20 New Guitar Gods" along with fellow My Morning Jacket guitaristCarl Broemel. In 2008, James, along with former My Morning Jacket guitarist and cousin Johnny Quaid, formed Removador Recordings and Solutions record label. The label, as described on its website, functions "on the simple principal of yielding the highest annual percentage of aural joy back into the hearts and minds of investors and shareholders with ease and convenience".[6]
In 2009, he contributed vocals onThe Decemberists' albumThe Hazards of Love.[7] On April 4 that year, James performed at theRadio City Music Hall, New York City, in the "Change Begins Within" concert benefitting theDavid Lynch Foundation.[8] On July 7, James releasedTribute To, an EP coveringGeorge Harrison songs. A portion of the proceeds from the album were donated to theWoodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. The EP was available on yimyames.com as both a digital download and a physical CD/LP.[9] That same year, James and the rest of My Morning Jacket played themselves in "My Morning Straitjacket", an episode of the animated television seriesAmerican Dad! James also participated along withConor Oberst,M. Ward, andMike Mogis in the supergroup,Monsters of Folk, which released a self-titled album in 2009.[10]
In 2012,Rounder Records released theWoody Guthrie tribute albumNew Multitudes which features songscovered by a variety of musicians including James (as Yim Yames) andJay Farrar. James wrote an article on My Morning Jacket,[11] discussing how the band got its name and growing up in Louisville, for the July 2012 issue ofLouisville magazine. BandmatesPatrick Hallahan andTom Blankenship also wrote articles for the issue.
James released his debut solo full-length album,Regions of Light and Sound of God, onATO Records on February 5, 2013.
In early 2014, James recorded forLost on the River: The New Basement Tapes alongside Elvis Costello, Marcus Mumford, Taylor Goldsmith and Rhiannon Giddens. The album was produced by T-Bone Burnett and is a compilation of partial songs written by Bob Dylan that were never released.
On November 5, 2015, theDavid Lynch Foundation organized another benefit concert at New York City'sCarnegie Hall named "Change Begins Within" to promotetranscendental meditation for stress control. Jim James participated withKaty Perry,Sting,Jerry Seinfeld,Angelique Kidjo, and classical guitaristSharon Isbin. And since each of the performers actively practicestranscendental meditation, they also spoke to its power.[12]
In 2016, James played himself and sings in two episodes of theShowtime seriesRoadies.[13] In November 2016, he released his second solo albumEternally Even.[14]
James andTeddy Abrams co-wrote a suite of songs that were performed with theLouisville Orchestra on April 6 and 7, 2018 at theKentucky Center for the Arts.[15] On April 17, 2018, James announced the June 29 release of his third solo album of original material,Uniform Distortion. Along with the announcement was the release of a single and music video for the album's opening track "Just A Fool". Also, included with the announcement was a letter James wrote to photographerDuane Michals requesting use of his photograph "The Illuminated Man" for the album's cover art. James discovered the photo in the 1971 publicationThe Last Whole Earth Catalog, which he stated was a primary inspiration for the new album.[16] In 2018, James also co-produced the debut album byCornelia Murr,Lake Tear of the Clouds.[17]
James was raised Catholic and attended St. Martha School for grade school and St. Xavier for high school.[18] He has been practicingTranscendental Meditation since 2009.[18] He previously dated one of the singers in his solo touring band.[19]
In 2008, he fell off the stage during a concert in Iowa, which inspired the recording of his first solo album.[2] He has citedRichard Shannon Hoon,Roy Orbison, andMarvin Gaye as influences on his vocal style.[20]
