Harmony James is an Australian singer-songwriter. Although James is often classified as a country artist, her music draws on many genres, including folk, pop, rock and blues. In 2006 Harmony first came to the attention of the music industry when she became the only Australian songwriter to have won the country category of the International Songwriting Competition, with her song "Tailwind".[1] Her second single, "Somebody Stole My Horse", became Australian radio's second most played country song in 2008.[2] spawned
Harmony James | |
|---|---|
 James performing live with Shane Nicholson | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Victoria, Australia |
| Genres | Country, alternative country, folk |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Labels | Warner |
| Website | harmonyjames |
Early life
editBorn in Victoria, Australia to a Baptist preacher as one of twelve children, Harmony went to a private school and says she had "few friends".[3] She read voraciously, eventually discovering the western novels of Louis L'Amour.[1] James discovered traditional country music after a friend returned from Texas with records by Dolly Parton and The Judds.[3] Soon after, James taught herself enough guitar to learn a few country songs and took to the streets singing to earn money.
She later ran a stock camp in the outback of Queensland and worked with cattle on the Northern Territory's Barkly Tableland. She left home to work as a jillaroo at some of the most remote cattle stations in southwestern Queensland,[1] "covered in mud and blood, roughing it with the guys, working so hard I had biceps and thinking, 'This is not what my mother pictured for me'." A gig at a school fete in Goondiwindi led to an offer from the local publican and Harmony's songbook started filling, even as she continued her parallel life on the land, from the Cape to Tennant Creek, studying agriculture at The University of Queensland at Gatton[3] and working as a welder "in a shed of 80 blokes."[4] "My musical exposure was mostly church music until I got a job as a checkout chick and heard the radio," she says. "Now when I hang out with other musos they'll drop names and I'll just look at them blankly 'cause my music history starts in '95."[5]
Career
editIn 2007, James won the country category of the International Songwriting Competition, and began working with producer Herm Kovac on her debut EP, Harmony James.
Her debut studio album, Tailwind, was released in 2009. In 2009, James went on tour with Sara Storer and Kasey Chambers, performing "Tailwind" in major festivals. Chambers later recorded her own version of one of James' songs, "Good Enough."[6]
James was nominated for Best Female Artist and Best Album for the CMAA Golden Guitar Awards in 2010 and won Best Female artist at the Victorian and Mildura Country Awards.[7][8][citation needed] and headlined her first Tamworth show.[3]
Australian country music trio The McClymonts signed James in 2011 as an opening act for their first major Australian tour. James' 2011 single "Precious Little" became the second most played single on Australian radio.[citation needed]
In March 2011, James returned to the studio with Herm Kovac to work on her second album, Handfuls of Sky. The following November, James signed a worldwide publishing deal with Albert Music[9] and a major record deal with Warner Music Australia on the same day.[10]
Handfuls of Sky was released on 20 January 2012, along with the Harmony James Songbook, a portfolio of sheet music, lyrics, photos and stories. In 2012, James continued performing at festivals, tours, and shows with artists including Troy Cassar-Daley[3] and Tim Freedman. The first single from Handfuls of Sky, "Pride", spent six weeks at number one,[3] and the third single, "Emmylou's Guitar" spend three weeks at number one. 2012 also brought more recognition for James, as she won the country category at the Queensland Music Awards[11] and was nominated for three 2013 Golden Guitar awards: Best Vocal Collaboration with Shane Nicholson for "Reach for You", Best Female Artist, and APRA Song of the Year for "Emmylou's Guitar".[12]
In 2014, James released her third studio album, Cautionary Tales, for which James received CMAA 2015 nominations in the categories of Best Album, Best Female Artist, and Best Heritage Song for "Coal Seam Gas".[13][14] Harmony toured extensively with Luke O'Shea and Pete Denahy and then later in the year with Lachlan Bryan.[citation needed][15]
Harmony opened for and performed with Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell on their Australian tour in 2015. The Courier Mail's Noel Mengel reviewed the show, saying about James' set, "When someone shines while singing alongside Emmylou Harris, you know that's a truly great singer. If you love this kind of music, you really need to check her out."[16]
In late 2018, James' official Facebook page announced a new independent album Resignation. It was produced by Glen Hannah, music critic Bernard Zuel published a favourable review of the record, suggesting "James might be earning the right to be counted among the likes of the more experienced Gretchen Peters and Rosanne Cash".[17] The Sunburnt Country Music blog said "despite its title, Resignation is not an album that sounds like defeat, retreat or weariness – it is a glorious manifestation of James's skills and talent, and it has been worth waiting for".[18]
Discography
editStudio albums
edit| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Tailwind |
|
| Handfuls of Sky |
|
| Cautionary Tales |
|
| Resignation |
|
Extended plays
edit| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Harmony James |
|
Awards and recognition
edit| Year | Awarding Organization | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Northern Territory Songwriting Competition | Best song (Big News) | Won |
| 2006 | Tamworth Songwriters Awards[19] | Amateur Country Traditional Song ("The Next Best Thing") | Won |
| 2006 | International Songwriting Competition | Best country song (Tailwind) | Won |
| 2007 | Queensland Gold Medallions | New Talent (Tailwind) | Nominated |
| 2007 | Southern Stars Award | Independent single of the year (Tailwind) | Nominated |
| 2007 | Musicoz awards | Best country artist (Tailwind) | Nominated |
| 2007 | International Songwriting Competition | Best country (Somebody Stole My Horse): Honourable mention | Nominated |
| 2008 | Tiara Awards | Female vocalist (Tailwind) | Nominated |
| 2008 | Victorian National Country Music Awards] | Female vocal, Independent Artist, Heritage song, Songwriter, Bush Ballad | Nominated |
| 2008 | SA Radio Wally Award | Best new act at Tamworth | Won |
| 2008 | Tiara Awards | Newcomer Recording Time award | Won |
| 2008 | Victorian National Country Music Awards | Best New Talent | Won |
| 2008 | Southern Stars Award | APRA/AMCOS Independent single of the year (Somebody Stole My Horse) | Nominated |
| 2008 | Southern Stars Award | Female vocalist (Somebody Stole My Horse) | Nominated |
| 2008 | Country Music Association of Australia | Golden guitar new talent (Tailwind) | Nominated |
| 2009 | Southern Stars Award | Female vocalist of the year (Fly) | Won |
| 2010 | Country Music Association of Australia | Album of the year (Tailwind) | Nominated |
| 2010 | Country Music Association of Australia | Female artist of the year (Precious Little) | Nominated |
| 2010 | Queensland Country Music Awards | Female artist of the year (Precious Little) | Won |
| 2011 | Australasian Performing Right Association | APRA Professional Development Award[20] | Won |
| 2012 | Queensland Music Awards | Best Country Artist (Pride) | Won |
| 2013 | Country Music Association of Australia | APRA Song of the Year (Emmylou's Guitar) | Nominated |
| 2013 | Country Music Association of Australia | Vocal Collaboration with Shane Nicholson (Reach For You) | Nominated |
| 2013 | Country Music Association of Australia] | Female Artist of the Year | Nominated |
| 2013 | Country Music Channel Awards | Oz Artist of the Year | Nominated |
| 2013 | Country Music Channel Awards | Best Australian Videos (Don't Say It) (Emmylou's Guitar) | Nominated |
| 2013 | Queensland Music Awards | Best Country Artist (Emmylou's Guitar) | Won |
| 2014 | Country Music Association of Australia | Female Artist of the Year | Nominated |
| 2014 | Country Music Association of Australia | Best Album (Cautionary Tales) | Nominated |
| 2014 | Country Music Association of Australia | Best Heritage Song (Coal Seam Gas) | Nominated |
References
edit- ^ a b c "Tailwind or Tornado?" (PDF). Country Update (54). Retrieved 1 December 2012.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Herm Kovac Productions". Ramrod Studio. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f Mengel, Noel (21 January 2012). "It's the sound of sweet Harmony". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
- ^ Jarvis, Susan (July 2009). "Complete Harmony". Capital News. Archived from the original on 27 April 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
- ^ "Harmony James". Alberts. Alberts Pty Ltd. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
- ^ Good Enough - Kasey Chambers, Shane Nicholson | Song Info | AllMusic, retrieved 26 February 2022
- ^ "Harmony James". Female.com.au. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ Eliezer, Christie (12 November 2009). "Keith Urban Snags 4 CMAA Nominations". Billboard. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ "Australian Country Songwriter Harmony James Signs World-wide Deal With Alberts". Alberts. Alberts Pty Ltd. 11 October 2011. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
- ^ "Australian Country Music News, October 2011". Country Music Bulletin. 17 October 2011. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ "QLD Music Awards 2012". Queensland Music Awards. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
- ^ "41st Country Music Awards of Australia Finalists Announced". CMAA. 12 November 2012. Archived from the original on 15 November 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
- ^ "Golden Guitar Awards Unveil 2015 Finalists List". The Music. SGC Group. 16 November 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ Belt, Rebecca (17 November 2014). "Golden Guitar Awards: The finalists | SPECIAL COVERAGE". The Northern Daily Leader. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ "Lachlan Bryan & Harmony James at The Listening Room in Mobile, AL (Thur. Dec. 8, 2016)". The Southland Music Line. 30 December 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ Mengel, Noel (2 July 2015). "Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell shine at Jupiters gig". The Courier Mail.
- ^ Zuel, Bernard (30 January 2019). "Harmony James - Resignation: Review". Bernard Zuel. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ "Album review: Resignation by Harmony James". Sunburnt Country Music. 18 February 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ "Tamworth Songwriters Association Past Winners". Tamworth Songwriters Association Online. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
- ^ "Harmony James wins APRA Development Award". ABC Country. ABC. 14 May 2011. Archived from the original on 13 May 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2012.