Quick Facts
Biography
Shawn James (born in Chicago, United States) is an American blues, folk & soul musician, known for his solo work and performing with his band The Shapeshifters.
Early life
Shawn James was born in 1986 in Chicago. As a child, he attended local Pentecostal church, singing in the church choir. He also took orchestra and voice lessons in high school.
Career
Shawn James started his career working in music studios as a sound engineer. In 2012, he and his wife Michelle moved from Nashville, Tennessee to Fayetteville, Arkansas to pursue a career in music industry full time. In the beginning, Shawn James was busking around downtown Fayetteville. From there, he started playing in local venues and recording his own songs in a bedroom studio.
The same year he also released his first self-published album Shadows. In 2013, he formed a band called Shawn James & The Shapeshifters with local musicians. After that he has released three more solo albums, a live album, and three albums with The Shapeshifters. He also runs his own recording company Shawn James Music.
Viral Success
The first time Shawn James' music went viral was when his performance of A. A. Bondy's American Hearts, filmed in a wolf sanctuary in Colorado, was posted on Reddit. From then on, his music has been used as a theme for Discovery Channel's "Yukon Men", and featured in CBS's "Reckless" and HBO's "Shameless." He gained prominence when Sony PlayStation featured the song 'Through the Valley' from his first album Shadows in the trailer for their game The Last of Us Part II. This exposure generated over 3 million plays on Spotify, topping the Spotify viral chart in the United Kingdom. After this James has landed a publishing deal with Raleigh Music Group. In 2018, he signed to Parts + Labor Records.
Discography
Solo albums
- Shadows (2012)
- Deliverance (2014)
- On the Shoulders of Giants (2016)
- Live at the Heartbreak House (2018)
- The Dark & The Light (2019)
With The Shapeshifters
- The Wolf (2013)
- The Bear (2013)
- The Hawk (2014)
- The Covers (2014)
- The Gospel According To Shawn James & The Shapeshifters (2017)