BIOGRAPHY
Biography adapted from biographies on the official James Morrison websites. Last update: 10/05/09
Music
James Morrison isn’t just a singer-songwriter with a gobsmacking, charismatic, rootsy soul voice. His brand of soulfulness isn’t about trying to pastiche black America’s past. But it is about unvarnished honesty, passion and letting your emotions go through songs that stir and inspire. He’s got substance to match his style. His lyrics pack an authentic emotional punch.
At 13 his uncle taught him a blues riff, and that’s when things started to really fall into place. Every evening from then on, James would play guitar. His family moved to Porth when he was 15 and he started busking locally. He started to carve his own sound with inspiration from a bunch of his mom’s old soul records, and by channelling his troubled past into penning some hard knock lyrics and incredible, stirring songs.
He’s had plenty of troubled times to draw on. He was born in Rugby into a fractured family: debts burdens; moving many times; people breaking down around him; childhood friends growing up into adult junkies. There’s been love and romance and warmth and laughter too: stuff that kept him going through some tough years.
Record deal
When James’ girlfriend decided to return to her native Derby, he went too. He ended up washing vans to make ends meet. After getting fired, James tried to get gigs in town, but without success. He was about to give up when a guitarist he’d met at an open-mic session, invited him to record a demo. It didn’t take long before James had two managers, and he ended up with a deal with Polydor. He found himself ensconced in a plush West London studio with, among others, producer Martin Terefe (Ron Sexsmith, KT Tunstall, and Ed Harcort) and musician Nikolaj Torp.
First album
James had a dream start to his career as a singer-songwriter. His debut album ‘Undiscovered’, a spellbinding collection of raw, bittersweet, bluesy-soul songs, yielded no fewer than five singles. James co-wrote all of the songs on the record. ‘Undiscovered’ went to #1 in Britain, Top 30 in America and won him the 2007 Brit Award for Best Male (he was also nominated for Best Single and Best Newcomer). James’s debut sold over two million copies worldwide and he became the biggest selling British male solo artist of 2006.
Live performer
James’s reputation as a must-see live performer also soared. Following his jaw dropping, first ever TV performance on Later With Jools Holland he went on to play amazing shows to adoring crowds, including the V festival twice in one day, the Royal Variety Performance, the Concert for Diana and the more traditional 3 sold-out UK tours. He toured Europe, Australia and Japan, did three separate tours of America, gigging coast to coast. He also supported John Mayer on his large outdoor ‘sheds’ tour in the US.
Second album
In August 2007 James sat down to write and record the Notoriously Difficult Second Album. And at first it did prove difficult. “As soon as I’d get something good I’d think about it and screw it up.” And then the penny dropped: “Just go for what you’re feeling at the time. That’s how I worked on the first album, and in a way I think that’s some of the reason why people liked it. It wasn’t trying too hard.” And so the people who really made him feel, the ones who became the subjects of his songs on Undiscovered – his family and friends – his relationship with each of them, and the new chapters in all their lives, became central to the new album. James went with whatever and whoever was on his mind, and took it from there. The songs began to flow.
“I’ve called the album Songs for You, Truths for Me because that’s what I feel it is. It’s songs for Gill and everyone else. But for me they’re truths. They’re how I feel.” Songs for You, Truths For Me is a classic James Morrison record that once again showcases his distinctive, raw, soulful style – but takes it to the next level. “It’s less playful, more to the point,” he says. “But I haven’t consciously gone for a different sound. With me, it always comes down to the lyric, the melody, and the rest flows from that.” James Morrison’s big, unashamedly romantic heart and generous spirit shines through like a beacon. Songs For You, Truths For Me sees the wide eyed soul-boy become a wiser man. With this he shines once more on a brilliant new collection of songs and cathartic taruths.
In 2009, James was nominated for the Brit Award for Best Male for his album ‘Songs For You, Truths For Me’, but didn’t win it. In April, he did win the Meteor Music Award for Best International Male in Ireland.
