In another time, in another place, the seed, of  The James and Friends Show, was sown.  A young James was growing up in a mid-western town with visions of someday being like Elvis Presley or Buddy Holly or The Everly Brothers.

James formed his first band the summer he graduated from 8th grade.  It was a simple four-piece group; two guitars, drums (James) and trumpet.  An unlikely grouping, but it was what they had and who they had.  

Throughout high school James improved his band or was invited to join other, more popular bands as "lead vocalist."  He played with some of the more prestigious bands, out of Omaha, NE., a hub of mid-western Rock and Roll.

During his first Rock and Roll career, his bands were playing the top local venues, touring 22 states and Canada and opening for national acts, such as, Gary Puckett and the Union Gap, Gary Lewis and the Playboys, Question Mark and the Mysterians, The Buckinghams, The Outsiders,  the Strawberry Alarm Clock, the 1910 Fruit Gum Company, the Ohio Express and others.

It was during these years, James began perfecting the art of vocal impressionism.  Many of the local bands, of that era, were referred to as "Top 40 Copy Bands."  The bands, who could sound the most like the "Top 40" songs, being played on the radio, were in the most demand.  James' bands were always in demand!

It was also during the latter of these years, James interest was piqued by acting.  Playing Tony in "Westside Story" at his high school led James to opportunities in Summer Stock theatre in Cape Cod, MA.  From there came university scholarships and a position as an Acting Fellow at the University of Arizona.

Arizona has a vibrant motion picture and television production community with many movie and TV companies filming segments or entire movies or series' there.  It was there James landed numerous roles in motion pictures and television.  His acting and directing credits in stage, screen and television served him well throughout his life.

After a change of career fields James had a successful career in Information Technology, retiring, as the CIO of a hospital, in Williamsburg, VA.  It was then, he came "full circle" to create The James and Friends Show.  As James puts it; "I misspent my youth playing Rock and Roll, so now that I'm in my second childhood, I thought, what the heck.  Let's do it again!"