Harmony James

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.com

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 and chart hit, "Somebody Stole My Horse", spent four weeks at number one and became Australian radio's second most played country song in 2008. The album produced by Herm Kovac[2] spawned five top ten singles.

Early life

Born in Victoria, Australia to a Baptist preacher as one of twelve children, Harmony had a sheltered childhood, with private education and few friends.[3] She read voraciously, eventually discovering the western novels of Louis L'Amour.[1]

A move to north as a young child began a lifelong wanderlust. 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

In 2007, with her song "Tailwind," James became the only Australian songwriter to have won the country category of the International Songwriting Competition, impressing one of the judges Rosanne Cash. James then began working with producer Herm Kovac on her EP, Harmony James. She worked with Kovac in 2008 on her debut full-length album, Tailwind, which was released to critical acclaim in 2009, establishing Harmony as a new force in country music, "confirm[ing] that she is a talented and skilled songwriter, creating fresh music rich in insight, humour and plenty of appeal" and showing "that she is one of the finest vocalists of her generation, both in terms of sheer vocal quality and her ability to interpret all the nuances and emotions of a song."[4] The title single from the album, "Tailwind", was released in 2008 and was her first top 10 hit, charting at number 7. She received a nomination for best new talent at the CMAA Awards that year.

"Somebody Stole My Horse," released in 2009, became James' first number one single. In 2009, she 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."

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. She also 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 hit single "Precious Little" became the second most played single on Australian radio.

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 AC/DC's publisher Albert Music[6] and a major record deal with Warner Music Australia on the same day.

Handfuls of Sky was released on January 20, 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[7] 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".[8]

2014 saw the release of the much anticipated third album Cautionary Tales which snared her CMAA 2015 nominations for Best Album, Best Female Artist and Best Heritage Song for Coal Seam Gas. Harmony toured extensively with Luke O'Shea and Pete Denahy and then later in the year with Lachlan Bryan.

Discography

Studio albums

Album Title Album details
Tailwind
Handfuls of Sky
Tailwind (bonus edition)
Cautionary Tales

EPs

EP Title EP details
Harmony James
  • Released 2007
  • CD, digital format
  • Label: independent

Singles

Year Single Peak chart position Album
2007 Tailwind 7 Tailwind EP
2008 Somebody Stole My Horse 1 Tailwind EP
2008 Home 2 Tailwind EP
2009 Fly 4 Tailwind
2009 Precious Little 3 Tailwind
2010 Pretty 2 Tailwind
2010 Good Enough 1 Tailwind
2011 Painted Pony 2 Tailwind
2011 Pride 1 Handfuls Of Sky
2012 Don't Say It 3 Handfuls Of Sky
2012 Emmylou's Guitar 1 Handfuls Of Sky
2014 Skinny Flat White 2 Cautionary Tales

Music videos

Year Video Director
2007 Tailwind Ross Wood
2008 Somebody Stole My Horse Jason Millhouse
2009 Precious Little Glen Wilson
2010 Good Enough Mick Jones
2011 Pride Mick Jones
2012 Don't Say It Mick Jones
2012 Emmylou's Guitar Lucas Thyer
2014 Skinny Flat White Jefferton James

Compilation album appearances

Year Title Compilation title Record company
2008 Tailwind The Winners 2008 EMI Music
2008 Home New Wave Of Australian Country Music Shock Records
2008 Home Saturday Night Country Vol 4 ABC Music
2009 Somebody Stole My Horse The Winners 2009 EMI Music
2009 Precious Little Gotta Go Country Vol 4 Shock Records
2010 Precious Little ABC Country For Mum ABC Music
2010 Precious Little The Winners 2010 EMI Music
2010 Precious Little The Winners Presents:The Best Of Australian Country Shock Records
2010 Good Enough CMAA Independents Day 2010 EMI Music
2010 Good Enough The Best Of Country Music Channel 2010 EMI Records
2011 Tailwind Gympie Muster:30th Birthday Album Shock Records
2011 Tailwind Songs For My Ute Vol 7 Sony Music
2011 Precious Little CMAA Presents: The Mothers Day Album EMI Music
2011 Somebody Stole My Horse ABC Heartland 2 ABC Music
2011 Good Enough Felicity Presents: Saturday Night Country ABC Music
2012 Pride Warner Music Compilation Warner Music Australia
2012 Pride Felicity Presents: Saturday Night Country 2012 ABC Music
2013 Emmylou's Guitar The Winners 2013 EMI Music
2014 Skinny Flat White CMAA The Winners 2015 Universal Music

Awards and recognition

Year Awarding Organization Award Result
2006 Northern Territory Songwriting Competition Best song (Big News) Won
2006 TSA Songwriter award Best song (Tailwind) 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's 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's 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[9] 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 (ReachFor 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

  1. 1 2 3 "Tailwind or Tornado?" (PDF). Country Update (54). Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  2. ↑ "Herm Kovac Productions". Ramrod Studio. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mengel, Noel (21 January 2012). "It's the sound of sweet Harmony". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  4. 1 2 Jarvis, Susan (July 2009). "Complete Harmony". Capital News. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  5. ↑ "Harmony James". Alberts. Alberts Pty Ltd. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  6. ↑ "Australian Country Songwriter Harmony James Signs World-wide Deal With Alberts". Alberts. Alberts Pty Ltd. 11 October 2011. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  7. ↑ "QLD Music Awards 2012". Queensland Music Awards. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  8. ↑ "41st Country Music Awards of Australia Finalists Announced". CMAA. 12 November 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  9. ↑ "Harmony James wins APRA Development Award". ABC Country. ABC. 14 May 2011. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
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