James McCartney

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For Paul McCartney's father, see Jim and Mary McCartney.

James McCartney
James McCartney performing 14 November 2009 at his US debut at the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center, during the Fourth Annual David Lynch Weekend for World Peace and Meditation in Fairfield, Iowa.
Background information
Birth nameJames Louis McCartney
GenresRock
Occupation(s)Musician, Writer
Instrument(s)Guitar, Vocals, Bass, Piano, Mandolin, Drums
Years active1997–present

James Louis McCartney (born 12 September 1977) is a British musician, songwriter and sculptor, living in London. He is the only son of songwriter and former Beatle Paul McCartney and Paul's first wife, rock photographer and animal rights activist Linda McCartney. His first EP, Available Light, was released on 21 September 2010.[1]

Music career

James has played guitar and drums on some of his father's solo albums, including Flaming Pie (1997) and Driving Rain (2001), as well as co-writing a few songs. On Flaming Pie, he has an electric guitar solo on the track "Heaven on a Sunday." On Driving Rain, he co-wrote the songs "Spinning On An Axis" and "Back In The Sunshine Again" with his father, and played percussion on the former track and guitar on the latter. He also plays lead guitar on his mother's posthumously released solo album, Wide Prairie.[2]

In 2005, he accompanied Paul during his "'US' Tour".

James McCartney made his US performing debut 14 November 2009 at the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center, during the Fourth Annual David Lynch Weekend for World Peace and Meditation in Fairfield, Iowa.[3]


Available Light

Available Light is McCartney's first official release as both a performer and songwriter. The EP includes four original songs composed by James as well as a cover of Neil Young’s classic "Old Man". In addition to composing the songs James plays electric and acoustic guitar, mandolin, piano and bass on the recordings. Produced by David Kahne and Paul McCartney, the EP was recorded between Sussex, London and New York over the previous year. James says, "The music was inspired by The Beatles, Nirvana, The Cure, PJ Harvey, Radiohead — and all good music. It is basically rock n' roll, clean sounding and vocal. The words on the album refer to spirituality, love, family, trying to sort out one's life, and many other things."[4]

James previewed tracks from ‘Available Light’ when he toured the UK for the first time in February and March 2010.[5]

Family and personal life

McCartney was born in London. He was named after both his paternal grandfather Jim McCartney and his father, whose full name is James Paul McCartney, as well as Linda's late mother, heiress Louise Linder Eastman. He spent the first two and a half years of his life on the road while his parents toured with their band Wings. After the band broke up in 1980, the McCartney family settled in Rye, East Sussex. He attended the local state secondary school, the Thomas Peacocke Community College.[6][7][8] In 1989, McCartney, with his older sisters Mary McCartney and Stella McCartney, again joined Paul and Linda on a world tour. He continued his education with a tutor while on the road.

In 1993, while celebrating his sixteenth birthday, James and friends went out to swim in the sea. When the weather began to turn bad, the current carried him offshore. His family rushed to the site, and were able to see McCartney return to shore safely.

On 17 April 1998, in Tucson, Arizona, James, along with his father and sisters, was at his mother's side when she died from breast cancer, which had been diagnosed in 1995. Later that year, McCartney graduated from Bexhill College, near his home in East Sussex, where he pursued studies in A Level Art.

James appeared in support of his sister Stella at her 1999 fashion show, her first show following the death of their mother, seated in their mother's place next to Paul.

In 1995, James introduced his sister Mary to television producer Alistair Donald, whom she would later marry. James has six nephews and two nieces: Mary's four sons Arthur Alistair Donald (born 3 April 1999), Elliot Donald (born 1 August 2002), Sam Aboud (born 11 August 2008) and Sid (born 3 September 2011); Stella's son Miller Alasdhair James Willis (born 25 February 2005), her daughter Bailey Linda Olwyn Willis (born 8 December 2006), son Beckett Robert Lee Willis (born 8 January 2008) and daughter, Reiley Dilys Stella Willis (born on 23 November 2010). Like his older half-sister Heather McCartney, James lives a relatively private life, unlike his sisters Stella, a fashion designer, and Mary, a photographer. James has a much younger half-sister, Beatrice Milly McCartney, born in 2003 to Paul and his second wife Heather Mills.

References

  1. ^ "Apple Not Far from the Tree: Paul McCartney's Son to Release Debut EP", Yahoo Music News blog, 10 Sept. 2010
  2. ^ Wild Prairie bbc.co.uk 3 September 1998
  3. ^ [1] kenchawkin.wordpress.com
  4. ^ James McCartney Releases Debut EP Available Light
  5. ^ Paul McCartney's son hits the road - mirror.co.uk Retrieved 20 February 2010.
  6. ^ "WALRUSGUMBOOT'S ARCHIVED NEWS: Reluctant McCartney's life as a recluse". Archived from the original on 2007-11-09. Retrieved 2008-03-18. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  7. ^ "BBC NEWS : Education : League Tables : Thomas Peacocke Community College". BBC News. 19 January 2006. Retrieved 2008-03-18. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  8. ^ "Thomas Peacocke Community College". Archived from the original on 2007-10-13. Retrieved 2008-03-18. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

External links

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