Tommy Lee James
Quick Facts
Biography
Tommy Lee James is an American country music songwriter and record producer with Still Working Music Group. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, he is originally from Roanoke, Virginia.
He graduated from Northside High School then attended Radford University where he studied voice. He moved to Nashville with dreams of becoming an artist, but then became a full-time songwriter.
James is the writer of a number of hit songs including Reba McEntire's "And Still," Brooks & Dunn's "A Man This Lonely," Reba McEntire and Brooks & Dunn's duet "If You See Him/If You See Her," Martina McBride's "Wrong Again," Cyndi Thomson's "What I Really Meant to Say," and Tim McGraw's "She’s My Kind of Rain". All these songs went to number one on the charts.
James had an additional chart topping success with "I Wish" recorded by Jo Dee Messina and "Let's Be Us Again" recorded by Lonestar which was a top 4 hit. He also co-wrote the critically acclaimed single by Gary Allan entitled "Life Ain't Always Beautiful."
James has had many other cuts with artists such as Cliff Richard, 98 Degrees, Pam Tillis, Blue County, Emerson Drive, Jedd Hughes, Little Big Town, Delta Goodrem, and Pussycat Dolls.
In addition to being a writer, James also produced Capitol Records recording artists Cyndi Thomson, Susan Ashton and Emily West; Big Machine artist Danielle Peck; and former Lonestar vocalist Richie McDonald .
James' success continues in 2012 with Joe Walsh's new album, Analog Man, which was released on June 5th, 2012 (co-produced by Jeff Lynne), and One Direction's new record, "Take Me Home."
Writing credits
Year | Artist | Title | Album |
---|---|---|---|
1993 | Conway Twitty | "I Don't Love You" | Final Touches |
1995 | Reba McEntire | "And Still" | Read My Mind |
Joe Diffie | "She Loves Me" | Life's So Funny | |
1996 | Reba McEntire | "It Don't Matter" | What If It's You |
Brooks & Dunn | "A Man This Lonely" | Borderline | |
1998 | Martina McBride | "Wrong Again" | Evolution |
Pam Tillis | "Every Time" | Every Time | |
Brooks & Dunn/Reba McEntire | "If You See Him/If You See Her" | If You See Him (Reba) If You See Her (Brooks & Dunn) | |
2000 | 98 Degrees | "The Way You Do" | Revelation |
2001 | Cyndi Thomson | "What I Really Meant to Say" | My World |
2003 | Tim McGraw | "She's My Kind of Rain" | Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors |
Jo Dee Messina | "I Wish" | Greatest Hits | |
2004 | Lonestar | "Let's Be Us Again" | Let's Be Us Again |
2006 | Gary Allan | "Life Ain't Always Beautiful" | Tough All Over |
Danielle Peck | "Isn't That Everything" | Danielle Peck | |
2007 | Delta Goodrem | "Believe Again" | Delta |
"In This Life" | |||
"You Will Only Break My Heart" | |||
"One Day" | |||
"Angels in the Room" | |||
Trisha Yearwood | "This Is Me You're Talking To" | Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love | |
"Nothin' 'Bout Memphis" | |||
Martina McBride | "Tryin' to Find a Reason" | Waking Up Laughing | |
2009 | Emerson Drive | "I Love This Road" | Believe |
Taylor Swift | "Untouchable" | Fearless | |
Orianthi | "God Only Knows" | Believe | |
Gary Allan | "Today" | Get Off on the Pain | |
2010 | Jessica Harp | "Letting Go" | A Woman Needs |
2011 | Ronnie Dunn | "Bleed Red" | Ronnie Dunn |
Pixie Lott | "All About Tonight" | Young Foolish Happy | |
2012 | Joe Walsh | "Wrecking Ball" | Analog Man |
"And the Band Played On" | |||
"Family" | |||
"Lucky That Way" | |||
Easton Corbin | "Are You with Me" | All Over the Road | |
One Direction | "They Don't Know About Us" | Take Me Home | |
"Loved You First" | |||
Celine Dion | "Didn't Know Love" | Water and a Flame |