Susan James

Susan James is an American singer, songwriter, and musician known for rock, folk, psychedelic folk and experimental music.

Early life and education James was raised in Pasadena, California. Her father, Jack James, worked for over 35 years at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and was Project Manager for NASA's Mariner program.

James studied music at the University of California, Los Angeles. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in ethnomusicology.

Musical career

James released her first solo album, Life Between Two Worlds in 1990. The album marked her start as an independent musician releasing her own material without the influence of a major record label.

She supported her debut album by playing gigs in many of Los Angeles’ well-known venues, such as Largo.

James' local success led to numerous tours across the United States. Weir stated that James was "gifted and writes about interesting stuff." Weir subsequently invited James on several U.S. tours with his bands RatDog and Weir/Wasserman. She was also invited as the opening act in support of Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsay Buckingham during a national tour promoting his first solo record, Out of the Cradle.

James took a long hiatus from recording, and did not return until 2010, when she released the Americana-tinged album Highways, Ghosts, Hearts & Home. The album featured performances by Paul Lacques, Paul Marshall, and Shawn Nourse from the band I See Hawks in L.A.; Gabe Witcher from the band Punch Brothers; and Danny McGough from Social Distortion and Shivaree. James supported the album by touring in the U.S. and Europe. Several videos were produced for the release, including a post-apocalyptic themed video for the title song which features actor Peter Stormare.

In 2015 James released Sea Glass. She would call it her most defining album. The album is a departure from the more traditional folk music she had previously released. Music critic John Payne said that Sea Glass is a contribution to the distinct California aesthetic, noting that "it’s not a stretch to say it’s as much California classic music as the disparate strains of Terry Riley, Harry Partch, the Beach Boys, and Captain Beefheart." of the group the High Llamas, whom she met through Mary Hensen of the band Stereolab. Due to O'Hagen being in London and James being in Los Angeles, the two collaborated on the album virtually via Skype.

In 2024, James released a new single “Time Is Now”. It was announced that this was the title song from an upcoming album of the same name to be released in June 2024.

Personal life

James is married to British engineer and producer Fulton Dingley.

Discography