Profile of James McMurtry on Famous Like Me

Texas singer/songwriter James McMurtry was born in Fort Worth, Texas and was raised mostly in Leesburg, Virginia.

Sometimes referred to as one of the greatest songsmiths of this generation. Known for his wild character sketches, it's no surprise he comes from a literary family; his father, novelist and screenwriter Larry McMurtry, gave James his first guitar at age seven, and his mother, an English professor, taught him how to play it: "My mother taught me three chords and the rest I just stole as I went along. I learned everything by ear or by watching people."

James began performing writing song fragments in his teens, and started performing his own songs at a downtown beer garden while studying English and Spanish at the University of Arizona in Tucson. After traveling to Alaska and playing a few gigs, James returned to Texas and his father “Larry’s little bitty ranch house crammed with 10,000 books.” After a while he knew it was time to move on again and soon he was off to San Antonio, where he earned his keep dabbling around in house painting, a little acting, bartending and playing his songs.

In 1987, a friend in San Antonio suggested he enter the New Folk songwriter contest that Rod Kennedy runs in Kerrville. He was one of six winners that year, and his luck continued. When a film script his father Larry McMurtry had written was being directed and starred in by John Mellencamp, James's demo tape was passed along, and John Mellencamp was "blown away". He called James up and asked him if he wanted to make a record. Of course James said yes, and Mellencamp even lent him his band for the sessions. Mellencamp served as co-producer on McMurtry's 1989 debut album, Too Long in the Wasteland. McMurtry also appeared on the soundtrack of the film Falling from Grace, working with Mellencamp, John Prine, Joe Ely, and Dwight Yoakam in a "supergroup" called Buzzin' Cousins.

McMurtry has continued to record, releasing albums in 1992 and 1995. Walk Between the Raindrops followed in 1998 and 2002 brought "St. Mary of the Woods." Alongside his rhythm section of nearly a decade, the Heartless Bastards (Ronnie Johnson, bass and backing vocals; Daren Hess, drums), McMurtry makes some of the tightest music found onstage today. In April 2004, Compadre Records released "Live In Aught-Three," recorded on tour with the Heartless Bastards. Lauded as being among the best live albums in years, "Live In Aught-Three" captures one of today's best trios at the top of their game.

James McMurtry currently resides in Austin, Texas.

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