From the first guitar riff on his latest song, The Devil's Daughters, I was hooked. Singer-songwriter and guitarist Shawn James makes the type of music that makes you stand up and take notice. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, and now residing in Fayetteville, Arkansas, his music is a mix of Blues/Folk with a lot of soul.
When he was growing up in Chicago he was singing gospel music at his church choir and it wasn't until later that he started playing guitar and piano. When he got to high school he also studied opera and is classically trained. He has released several albums both as a solo artist and with his band The Shapeshifters. He made his debut in 2012 and has remained independent for the most part which allows him more freedom to do it his way. He is a multi-instrumentalist who actually started out as a sound engineer. He played the club circuit and busked around town until he recorded his debut album, Shadows. An album that caught the attention of music critics for its honest and soulful tracks. Listen to his song The Shadow and you will hear what I'm talking about.
His best songs are the ones that are most emotional and have you really feel the pain of what he is singing. On songs like Through The Valley, you definitely hear his gospel music upbringing. Shawn James just released his new single, The Devil's Daughters, and earlier this year released his live album, The Lake Wenatchee Sessions which includes his remake of REM's song, Losing My Religion. He is on tour now and will be here in NYC on November 19 at club Warsaw. Check out this super-talented singer-songwriter/guitarist and support independent music and musicians. Happy listening!
The Devil's Daughters
