James
James grew up in Tacoma, Washington where his family would often catch him using his hair brush as a microphone and playing air guitar to early Prince albums. In middle and high school, James sang in both the show choir and concert choir. He also played several instruments including the tuba, trombone, violin, and viola.
James’ love for jazz continued as he attended Pierce College in Lakewood, Washington where he sang in the group Farwest Jazz directed by Kelly Kunz. During this time, James was fortunate to perform at both the Reno Jazz Festival and the International Association of Jazz Educators Conference. Farwest Jazz also gave James the opportunity to travel and perform throughout the United States in such cities as New Orleans, Washington D.C., and New York City.
Professionally, James served as the lead singer of Soul Siren, a cover band that performed throughout the Pacific Northwest, and currently sings with Groove For Thought, a six man vocal ensemble with a unique sound and original tunes. He considers the members of Groove For Thought to be his second family, and truly enjoys connecting with them through music. James sings both tenor and alto, and his perfect pitch allows him to sing the difficult inner-parts in their complex arrangements. He is often featured as a soloist and is the “resident comedian” (a.k.a. bad joke-teller) of the group. James currently lives in Puyallup, Washington with his wife Autumn and their beautiful daughter Olivia Rae.
Contact James: James@grooveforthought.com
