James McMurtry

James McMurtry - It Had to Happen - 1997 - Sugar Hill

James McMurtry's fourth album of new material concerns itself with change. Showing a maturity that doesn't show itself much in the roots rock genre, It Had to Happen winds its way through many stories set to music. "Sixty Acres" deals with inheritance, while "No More Buffalo," a standout cut, dwells on both natural and personal destruction. Tastefully done, McMurtry and his fellow travelers offer fine music done maturely. © James Chrispell © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/it-had-to-happen-r277628/review

A very underrated singer, musician and brilliant songwriter, James McMurtry from Fort Worth, Texas has a lot of great songs under his belt. The guy has a voice that sounds like a cross between Johnny Cash, David Byrne, and Lou Reed. Lyrically, the guy is a great storyteller. Like Leonard Cohen, David Byrne, Mose Allison, Janis Ian, Tino Gonzales, Lou Reed, or the young Dylan, James writes songs often with a socio-political theme. He writes evocative lyrics, often cynical and dry, but never boring, and like the aforementioned artists he has the rare talent of writing great music for what often sounds like dull topics. His music is steeped in Americana and roots rock. "It Had to Happen" is an album of beautiful poetic songs with wonderful lyrics and brilliant instrumentation all round. In his regular column for Entertainment Weekly, noted author (and passionate rock ’n’ roll enthusiast) Stephen King cited McMurtry as “the truest, fiercest songwriter of his generation.” "It Had to Happen" is HR by A.O.O.F.C. This album is already posted on this blog @ 192 Kpbs. Buy James' "Candyland" album, and promote this hugely talented artist [All tracks @ 320 kbps: File size = 142 Mb]

TRACKS

1. Paris
2. Peter Pan
3. For All I Know
4. No More Buffalo
5. 12 O'Clock Whistle
6. Sixty Acres
7. Be With Me
8. Wild Man From Borneo
9. Stancliff's Lament
10. Jaws Of Life

All songs composed by James McMurtry except "Paris" by James McMurtry & Wally Wilson, and "Wild Man From Borneo" by Kinky Friedman

MUSICIANS

James McMurtry - Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Bass, Claves, Harmonica, Vocals, Handclapping
Lloyd Maines - Slide Guitar, Lap Steel Guitar, Tambourine, Handclapping
Ronnie Johnson - Bass, Background Vocals, Vocal Harmony, Handclapping
Charlie Sexton - Mandolin, Bouzouki, Background Vocals
Lisa Mednick - Keyboards, Accordion
Chris Searles - Drums, Percussion, Handclapping
Randy Garibay, Jr. - Background Vocals, Vocal Harmony

SHORT BIO

Texas singer/songwriter James McMurtry, known for his hard-edged character sketches, 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. McMurtry began performing his own songs while a student at the University of Arizona and continued to do so after returning home and taking a job as a bartender. When it transpired that a film script McMurtry's father had written was being directed by John Mellencamp, who was also its star, McMurtry's demo tape was passed along, and Mellencamp was duly impressed, serving 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 one-off supergroup called Buzzin' Cousins. McMurtry has continued to record, releasing albums in 1992 and 1995. Walk Between the Raindrops followed in 1998, and 2002 saw the release of Saint Mary of the Woods, his last for the Sugar Hill label. He signed with Compadre the following year, releasing Live in Aught-Three in 2004 and Childish Things in 2005. Just Us Kids appeared in 2008 on Lightning Rod Records, with another concert album, Live in Europe, arriving in 2009. © Steve Huey © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/james-mcmurtry-p4878/biography

BIO (WIKIPEDIA)

James McMurtry (born March 18, 1962 in Fort Worth, is a Texas rock and Americana music singer, songwriter, guitarist, bandleader and occasional actor (Daisy Miller, Lonesome Dove). With his veteran bandmates and rhythm section The Heartless Bastards (Darren Hess and Ronnie Johnson) he tours regions of the United States and, increasingly, Europe, for parts of each year, performing in intimate and mid-sized venues, especially those with dancing room for his audiences. His father, novelist Larry McMurtry, gave him his first guitar at age seven. 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 spent the first seven years of his boyhood in Ft. Worth but was raised mostly in Leesburg, Virginia. He attended the Woodberry Forest School, Orange, Virginia. He began performing in his teens, writing bits and pieces. He 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's "little bitty ranch house crammed with 10,000 books". After a time, he left for San Antonio, where he worked as a house painter, actor, bartender, and sometimes singer, performing at writer's nights and open mics. In 1987, a friend in San Antonio suggested he enter the New Folk songwriter contest. He was one of six winners that year. John Mellencamp was starring in a film based on a script by James's father, which gave James the opportunity to get a demo tape to Mellencamp. Mellencamp subsequently 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 released follow-up albums in Candyland (1992) and Where'd You Hide the Body (1995). Walk Between the Raindrops followed in 1998 and 2002 brought St. Mary of the Woods. In April 2004, McMurtry released a tour album called Live In Aught-Three. In 2005, McMurtry released his first studio album in 3 years. Childish Things again received high critical praise, culminating in him winning the song and album of the year at the 5th Annual Americana Awards in Nashville, Tennessee. The album was perhaps McMurtry at his most political, as his working-class anthem "We Can't Make It Here" included direct criticism of George W. Bush, the Iraq War, and Wal-Mart. McMurtry released his follow up album to Childish Things in April 2008. Just Us Kids continued with the previous album's political themes and included the song Cheney's Toy, McMurtry's most direct criticism of George W. Bush so far. Like We Can't Make It Here from the previous album, Cheney's Toy was made available as a free Internet download. James McMurtry currently resides in Austin, Texas. When in Austin McMurtry and The Heartless Bastards play a midnight set at The Continental Club on Wednesday nights. He's usually preceded by another Austin roots rock legend, Jon Dee Graham.