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James Burton
James Burton, born James Edward Burton in 1939, is an American guitarist from Louisiana who invented chicken pickin' and played for Ricky Nelson and Elvis Presley.
James Carr (singer)
James Carr (1942–2001) was an American Southern soul singer on Memphis's Goldwax label, known for the original 'The Dark End of the Street' and nine 1966–1969 R&B hits; mental illness curtailed a career admired by connoisseurs.
James Cleveland
James Cleveland (1932–1991) was an American gospel singer, pianist, and choir director known as the "King of Gospel", who founded the Gospel Music Workshop of America.
James Dean Bradfield
James Dean Bradfield (born 1969, Pontypool, Wales) is lead singer and guitarist of Manic Street Preachers and a solo artist (The Great Western 2006; Even in Exile 2020, on Víctor Jara).
James DeBarge
James DeBarge (born 1963), Grand Rapids R&B singer, keyboardist of Motown family group DeBarge on All This Love and Rhythm of the Night; Janet Jackson's first husband (1984–85); later addiction, 2026 drug arrest with brother Chico.
James Fauntleroy
James Fauntleroy (James Edward Fauntleroy II, born 1984) is an American R&B singer, songwriter, and producer from Inglewood, California, a four-time Grammy winner known for 24K Magic, The 20/20 Experience, and the Nova EP with Terrace Martin.
James Galway
Sir James Galway (born 1939, Belfast), "The Man with the Golden Flute," Northern Irish flutist; Berlin Philharmonic principal flute 1969-75 under Karajan, solo career from 1975, 30 million recordings, "Annie's Song" UK No. 3, knighted 2001.
James Hetfield
James Hetfield (born 1963) is an American musician, co-founder, lead vocalist, and rhythm guitarist of Metallica since 1981, known for down-picked riffs, rehab stints in 2001 and 2020, and 2026 Sphere politics remarks.
James Honeyman-Scott
James Honeyman-Scott (1956–1982), English founding lead guitarist of the Pretenders, played on their 1980 debut, Extended Play EP, and Pretenders II, co-wrote Brass in Pocket, and died at 25 of cocaine-related heart failure.
James Iha
James Iha, American guitarist, co-founded The Smashing Pumpkins in Chicago (1988–2000), co-wrote "Soma" and "Mayonaise," led A Perfect Circle membership, Tinted Windows, and solo albums Let It Come Down and Look to the Sky.
James Ingram
James Ingram (1952-2019), Akron-born R&B singer-songwriter and session keyboardist, two-time Grammy winner from 14 nominations, known for "Just Once," "Yah Mo B There," "Baby, Come to Me," and co-writing "P.Y.T." with Quincy Jones.
James Jamerson
James Jamerson (1936 or 1938–1983), Motown session bassist and anchor of the Funk Brothers, played on Motown's biggest hits uncredited until 1971; Rock Hall 2000, Rolling Stone's top bassist.
James Kottak
James Kottak (1962–2024), American hard rock drummer, founding member of Kingdom Come and Scorpions drummer 1996–2016, longest-serving in the band's history; also led the pop-punk band Kottak.
James LaBrie
James LaBrie (Kevin James LaBrie, born 1963, Penetanguishene, Ontario) is the Canadian lead vocalist of progressive metal band Dream Theater since 1991, first on Images and Words (1992); a 1994 vocal injury changed his singing, and he also leads a solo career, most recently Beautiful Shade of Grey (2022).
James Last
James Last (Hans Last, 1929-2015), German bandleader, composer, and arranger, creator of the 'Happy Sound' and the Non Stop Dancing series; over 190 albums, tens of millions sold, Gentleman of Music nickname.
James Levine
James Lawrence Levine (1943–2021) was an American conductor and pianist who served as the Metropolitan Opera's music director for over 40 years, conducting more than 2,500 performances.
James Marriott
James Marriott (James William Marriott), English indie rock/indie pop musician and former YouTuber born in Switzerland in 1997, based in Brighton. Albums: Are We There Yet? (2023, UK No. 17), Don't Tell The Dog (2025, UK No. 1), Warning Signs (2027).
James McCartney
James McCartney (born 1977), British singer-songwriter and only son of Paul and Linda McCartney; EPs Available Light and Close at Hand, albums Me (2013), The Blackberry Train (2016), Beautiful Nothing (2024).
James McMurtry
James McMurtry (born 1962, Fort Worth, Texas) is an Americana singer-songwriter, son of novelist Larry McMurtry, known for story-songs like "We Can't Make It Here" and albums from Too Long in the Wasteland (1989) to The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy (2025).
James Mercer (musician)
James Russell Mercer is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist, frontman of indie rock band The Shins (formed 1996, Albuquerque) and half of Broken Bells with Danger Mouse; known for Garden State's "New Slang" and Wincing the Night Away.
James Morrison (singer)
James Morrison (James Morrison Catchpole, born 1984) is an English soul-pop singer-songwriter from Rugby, known for "You Give Me Something", the No 1 album Undiscovered (2006), the 2007 Brit Award, and the duet Broken Strings with Nelly Furtado.
James Newton Howard
James Newton Howard (born 1951, Los Angeles) is an American film composer, nine-time Oscar nominee, and Emmy and Grammy winner known for The Fugitive, The Sixth Sense, The Hunger Games, and his Elton John session years.
James Pankow
James Carter Pankow (born 1947, St. Louis) is an American trombonist, composer, and horn arranger, founding member of rock band Chicago; wrote "Make Me Smile", "Colour My World", "Just You 'N' Me", and the suite "Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon".
James Righton
James Righton (James Nicholas Righton), English musician born 1983 in Stratford-upon-Avon; Klaxons keyboardist and co-vocalist, 2007 Mercury Prize winner, later Shock Machine, solo albums, ABBA Voyage musical director, and film and TV composer.
James Shaffer
James "Munky" Shaffer, also known as James the Gorilla, is the American guitarist and founding member of nu metal band Korn, also of L.A.P.D. and the ambient project Venera. He introduced seven-string Ibanez guitars to mainstream metal and has signature APEX and K7YIN models.
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor (born 1948, Boston) is the American singer-songwriter of "Fire and Rain" and "You've Got a Friend," a 1970s adult-contemporary figure with 50 million albums sold, a Diamond Greatest Hits, six Grammys-era honors, and the Medal of Freedom.
James Valentine (musician)
James Valentine (born 1978, Lincoln, Nebraska) is the American lead guitarist of Maroon 5, joined in 2001 after his band Square won the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands; he also has Ernie Ball Music Man signature guitars.
James Young (American musician)
James "J.Y." Young (James Vincent Young, born 1949, Chicago) is Styx's founding lead guitarist and vocalist, writer of "Miss America" and "Snowblind," an IIT engineering graduate, still touring with Styx after 50 years.
Jamey Johnson
Jamey Johnson, Alabama-born former Marine and Grand Ole Opry country singer-songwriter; "In Color" and That Lonesome Song (2008) defined his outlaw-country breakthrough, ten-time Grammy nominee, returned with Midnight Gasoline (2024).
Jamie Cullum
Jamie Cullum is an English jazz-pop crossover singer, songwriter, and pianist from Wiltshire. His 2003 album Twentysomething made him the UK's biggest-selling jazz artist; he has sold 10 million albums and hosts a BBC Radio 2 jazz show.