Nicholas James CD Release
Founders Brewing Company, Grand Rapids
April 22
Free

Pepsi Stadium Club Series
5/3rd Ballpark, Comstock Park
April 10, 7:30 p.m.
$20

Nicholas James releases his first, full-length studio album, Barefoot, April 22. It might surprise those of you who've seen him perform to know this is his first solo LP.

An active member of a local enclave of singer/songwriters, James released a five-song EP in November 2007, and came out with an LP in February 2009 with his band Blue Feather. He's the co-host of the Tuesday Night open mic at Founders Brewing Company - where he also bartends - with The Total Blam Blam's Jason Heystek and was a featured performer in 2009's Winter's Tune. He manages to squeeze in time at Z's open mic, and holds down another job at Harvest Health. He's everywhere, as an artist, a supporter of fellow musicians, and a community member. Kind, approachable, thoughtful and passionate, James is the embodiment of that socially conscience songwriter, with a guitar strapped to his back.

For James, music began with singing as a child and in school and college choirs. When he was 19, he taught himself how to play the guitar with "the sole intention of writing songs and singing." He became a prolific writer, scribbling lyrics and poetry en masse.

"I've got piles of notebooks of original composition," he said.

Now 30, James says he feels good about his progress as a musician.

"[30] was the year that I was like, ‘you're not gonna be a famous dead rockstar, you're going to play music for the rest of your long life, and that is way better,'" he said. "It took a lot of the pressure off ... What I am doing is pretty good ... Last year, I played over 150 performances. I'm not rich, and I'm not famous, but I play a lot of music, and that's what's important to me."

Barefoot is definitely a folk album, but has its elements of rock, pop, bluegrass and traditional country. James recorded at Academic Audio with engineer Greg Baxter and called in some help from fellow musicians on auxiliary instruments including Mark "Huggy Bear" Lavengood (dobro, guitar, banjo), Russ Brakefield of Winter Sessions (banjo), Bruce Ling (fiddle, mandolin), Joe VanAcker of Hawks and Owls (upright bass), Pete Weatherhead of Rawhide Johnson and the Weatherheads (pedal steel) Nathan Kalish (drums) and Jen Wilson of Creekside (vocals).

Thematically speaking, it is no coincidence that James is choosing to release the album on Earth Day, as James feels many of the ideas on his album tie in with the holiday. This sampling of songs is also topical, personally as well as globally, and was written in the last year.

"I went through a breakup and started a new relationship, so there are songs about both of those," James said. "I work at a health food store, so there's a song. Almost political, a talking blues song, consciously speaking about healthcare and prescription drugs and the need for exercise and human interaction. Basic simple ideas that everybody can kind of relate to, getting back to the land, owning your own property... it's about life."

In addition to the release, James plays with Cheryl Wheeler at the Pepsi Stadium Club Series at 5/3rd Ballpark, presented by Michael Packer and supported by WYCE 88.1.