Russell James (US)

Beaten but not broken. A fighter and a survivor. Autistic songwriter Russell James is looks to the hope of the future while reflecting on the pain of his past. 2016 National Parks Artist-in-Residence.

Russell has been playing music his whole life, making a career out of it over the past few years. Following a decade-long stint working in the world of mental health, Russ was burned out and decided to follow his authentic passion in 2015. Since then he has released an LP, RISE, and a subsequent EP, SEASONS. In 2016 he was selected by the National Parks Arts Foundation as an artist-in-residence and completed his residency at Big Bend National Park. He now crisscrosses the country, playing uplifting shows, camping and fishing along the way as he lives out of his converted 2005 Honda Element, nicknamed The Gray Haven.

Russell’s music has been compared to Ryan Adams, U2, Jason Isbell, and The Cure. His trademark vibrato rasp sings out songs of triumph, of torture, the natural world, and of course hope. Russell is concerned a great deal with mental health and his lyrical themes often reflect this. The traditional singer-songwriter tropes are abandoned as Russell introduces an ethereal, ambient, and dreamy touch to accompany these lyrics of hope and uplift, triumph and tragedy.

Russell will be releasing his next LP Wave/Water in the Spring of 2018. He will be touring more than ever next year, so keep your eyes and ears open.