James McMurtry (born March 18, 1962, in
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. According ...
) is an American rock and folk rock/
americana
Americana may refer to:
*Americana (music), a genre or style of American music
*Americana (culture), artifacts of the culture of the United States
Film, radio and television
* ''Americana'' (1992 TV series), a documentary series presented by J ...
singer, songwriter, guitarist, bandleader, and occasional actor (''
Daisy Miller
''Daisy Miller'' is a novella by Henry James that first appeared in '' The Cornhill Magazine'' in June–July 1878, and in book form the following year. It portrays the courtship of the beautiful American girl Daisy Miller by Winterbourne, a s ...
'', ''
Lonesome Dove
''Lonesome Dove'' is a 1985 Western novel by American writer Larry McMurtry. It is the first published book of the ''Lonesome Dove'' series, but the third installment in the series chronologically.
The story revolves around the relationships b ...
'', and narrator of ''Ghost Town: 24 Hours in Terlingua''). He performs with veteran bandmates Daren Hess, Cornbread and Tim Holt.
His father, novelist
Larry McMurtry
Larry Jeff McMurtry (June 3, 1936March 25, 2021) was an American novelist, essayist, bookseller and screenwriter whose work was predominantly set in either the Old West or contemporary Texas. , 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."
Biography
McMurtry spent his first seven years in Ft. Worth but was raised mostly in
Leesburg, Virginia
Leesburg is a town in the state of Virginia, and the county seat of Loudoun County. Settlement in the area began around 1740, which is named for the Lee family, early leaders of the town and ancestors of Robert E. Lee. Located in the far northea ...
. He attended the
Woodberry Forest School
Woodberry Forest School is a private, all-male boarding school located in Woodberry Forest, Madison County, Virginia, in the United States. Woodberry's current enrollment is 405. Students come from 28 U.S. states (plus the District of Columbia ...
,
Orange, Virginia
Orange is a town and the county seat of Orange County, Virginia, Orange County, Virginia. The population was 4,721 at the 2010 United States census, 2010 census, representing a 14.5% increase since the 2000 United States census, 2000 census. Orang ...
. He began performing in his teens, writing bits and pieces. He started performing his own songs at a downtown
beer garden
A beer garden (German: ''Biergarten'') is an outdoor area in which beer and food are served, typically at shared tables shaded by trees.
Beer gardens originated in Bavaria, of which Munich is the capital city, in the 19th century, and remain co ...
while studying English and Spanish at the
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it was the first university in the Arizona Territory.
T ...
in
Tucson
, "(at the) base of the black ill
, nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town"
, image_map =
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, map_caption = Interactive map ...
. After traveling to
Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...
and playing a few gigs, he returned to
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
and his father's "little bitty ranch house crammed with 10,000 books". After a time, he left for
San Antonio
("Cradle of Freedom")
, image_map =
, mapsize = 220px
, map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = United States
, subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State
, subdivision_name1 = Texas
, s ...
, where he worked as a house painter, actor, bartender, and sometimes singer, performing at writers' nights and open-mic events.
In 1987, a friend in San Antonio suggested McMurtry enter the Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk songwriter contest; he became one of six winners that year. Also around this time
John Mellencamp
John J. Mellencamp (born October 7, 1951), previously known as Johnny Cougar, John Cougar, and John Cougar Mellencamp, is an American singer-songwriter. He is known for his catchy brand of heartland rock, which emphasizes traditional instrument ...
was starring in a film based on a script by McMurtry's father, which gave McMurtry the opportunity to send a demo tape to Mellencamp. Mellencamp subsequently served as co-producer on McMurtry's debut album, ''
Too Long in the Wasteland
''Too Long in the Wasteland'' is the debut album by the American musician James McMurtry, released in 1989. Its first single was "Painted by Numbers". The album's title was inspired in part by his father's Texas ranch, which is named the Wasteland. ...
'' (1989). McMurtry also appeared on the soundtrack of the film ''
Falling from Grace'', working with Mellencamp,
John Prine
John Edward Prine (; October 10, 1946 – April 7, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter of country-folk music. He was active as a composer, recording artist, live performer, and occasional actor from the early 1970s until his death. He ...
,
Joe Ely
Joe Ely (born February 9, 1947) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist, whose music touches on honky-tonk, Texas Country, Tex-Mex and rock and roll.
He has had a genre-crossing career, performing with Bruce Springsteen, Uncle Tupelo ...
and
Dwight Yoakam
Dwight David Yoakam (born October 23, 1956) is an American singer-songwriter, actor, and film director. He first achieved mainstream attention in 1986 with the release of his debut album '' Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc.''. Yoakam had considerab ...
in a "supergroup" called Buzzin' Cousins.
McMurtry released follow-up albums ''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''. "
Choctaw Bingo
"Choctaw Bingo" is a southern rock song written and performed by musician James McMurtry and appears on his album ''Saint Mary of the Woods'' and ''Live In Aught Three''. The song is an up beat, honky-tonk style narrative (ballad), having no chor ...
", one of McMurtry's most popular songs, is featured on both ''St. Mary of the Woods'' and ''Live in Aught-Three''.
In 2005, McMurtry released his first studio album in three years. ''
Childish Things
''Childish Things'' is a 2005 album by singer-songwriter James McMurtry (see 2005 in music). It was awarded the 2006 Americana Music Association Album of the Year Award. The song "We Can't Make It Here" was named the best song of the 2000s de ...
'' again received high critical praise, winning the song and album of the year at the 5th Annual
Americana Music Awards in
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...
. 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
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
, the
Iraq War
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish)
, partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
, and
Wal-Mart
Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores from the United States, headquarter ...
. The music critic
Robert Christgau
Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most well-known and influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and ...
ranked "We Can't Make It Here" as the best song of the 2000s.
McMurtry released his follow-up album to ''
Childish Things
''Childish Things'' is a 2005 album by singer-songwriter James McMurtry (see 2005 in music). It was awarded the 2006 Americana Music Association Album of the Year Award. The song "We Can't Make It Here" was named the best song of the 2000s de ...
'' in April 2008. ''
Just Us Kids
''Just Us Kids'' is an album by singer-songwriter James McMurtry. It was nominated at the 2008 Americana Music Association for Album of the Year, Song of the Year ("Cheney's Toy") and earned McMurtry a nomination for Artist of the Year.
Track l ...
'' continued with the previous album's political themes and included the song "Cheney's Toy," McMurtry's most direct criticism of
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
so far. Like "We Can't Make It Here" from the previous album, "Cheney's Toy" was made available as a free Internet download.
McMurtry's ninth album, ''
Complicated Game'' was released on February 24, 2015 on an L.A. record label also named Complicated Game. The album achieved critical acclaim, scoring 87 on Metacritic. Lead single "How’m I Gonna Find You Now" and other tracks such as album opener "Copper Canteen" have become staples in the McMurtry canon.
''Cold and Bitter Tears: The Songs of Ted Hawkins'', released in late 2015 on Austin-based Eight 30 Records, includes McMurtry's take on the late busker's song "Big Things". Additionally, ''Dreamer: A Tribute to Kent Finlay'', released in early 2016 (also on Eight 30 Records), features McMurtry's version of Finlay's "Comfort's Just a Rifle Shot Away."
McMurtry contributed his rendition of Adam Carroll's "Screen Door" to ''Highway Prayer: A Tribute to Adam Carroll'' (Eight 30 Records, 2016) as well as "Grandpa's Promise" to the satirical album ''Floater: A Tribute to the Tributes to Gary Floater'' (Eight 30 Records, 2018). Also in 2018 McMurtry performed at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival.
During restrictions on touring and live music imposed by the
COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
The COVID-19 pandemic in the United States is a part of the COVID-19 pandemic, worldwide pandemic of COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In the Uni ...
, McMurtry started streaming several live acoustic performances a week on Facebook and YouTube. After using this platform to premiere new songs including "If It Don't Bleed", a new album, ''The Horses and the Hounds'', was announced on June 9, 2021 and released on August 20. Lead track "Canola Fields" was released to streaming services at the time of the announcement. The album, produced by longtime collaborator Russ Hogarth and recorded at Jackson Browne's Santa Monica
Groove Masters studio, was reviewed positively, scoring an 81 on Metacritic. Pitchfork reviewer
Stephen Deusner Stephen M. Deusner is an American music critic and part-time record store clerk who lives in Bloomington, Indiana. A native of Tennessee, he has contributed to Pitchfork Media (including ''the Pitchfork 500''), ''Salon'', '' CMT'', ''American Songwr ...
said of the record: "McMurtry sounds more engaged here, more focused, and more generous to his hard-luck characters."
McMurtry lives in Lockhart, Texas, 30 miles south of
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the county seat, seat and largest city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and Williamson County, Texas, Williamson co ...
, where he and The
Heartless Bastards
Heartless Bastards are an American rock band formed in Cincinnati, Ohio in 2003. The band has released six albums.
History
Heartless Bastards originally started as a recording project of Erika Wennerstrom. She played most of the instruments and ...
regularly play a midnight set at The Continental Club on Wednesday nights after
Jon Dee Graham
Jon Dee Graham is an American musician, guitarist and songwriter from Austin, Texas, United States. Graham was named the Austin Musician of the Year during the South by Southwest (SXSW) music conference in 2006. He was inducted into the Austin Mu ...
, another Austin roots rock musician.
McMurtry's son, Curtis, is also a singer-songwriter and has performed with his father.
Discography
Albums
Singles
Guest singles
Music videos
References
External links
Official siteOne on One with James McMurtry Interview and Live Performance on Chicago TV show "Corporate Country Sucks"BBC News: Rocker Young wins Americana awardRon Rosenbaum, in Slate, on why McMurtry's "Choctaw Bingo" should be the new national anthem
Media
Video of James McMurtryVideo of James Mcmurtry. "Poor Lost Soul" from Too Long in the Wasteland
{{DEFAULTSORT:McMurtry, James
1962 births
American country singer-songwriters
American folk guitarists
American male guitarists
American male singer-songwriters
Living people
Writers from Austin, Texas
People from Fort Worth, Texas
Musicians from Austin, Texas
Singer-songwriters from Texas
Place of birth missing (living people)
Woodberry Forest School alumni
Guitarists from Texas
20th-century American guitarists
People from Leesburg, Virginia
Country musicians from Texas
Country musicians from Virginia
20th-century American male musicians
Singer-songwriters from Virginia