BRIEF BIOGRAPHY
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James J Turner is a critically acclaimed singer-songwriter and Bardic Druid, with Arts Council England backing and one of the most unique and potent artists to emerge from the acoustic music scene in recent years. James's powerful voice and dexterous guitar playing provide the backbone to passionate, anthemic songs. His recent studio albums stormed the folk scene, receiving incredible critical acclaim, being called "groundbreaking" and the “best folk-rock album of the year” gaining extensive national (BBC Scotland / BBC Wales / RTE Ireland) and regional radio playlisting. James has Arts Council England backing for a 2023 album release, which will be well promoted on UK and EU national and regional radio plus printed / online media.
James’s live performance is powerful, unforgettable and overwhelmingly positive; his guitar technique on a Martin D28 has been likened to Bert Jansch, which recently gained him an invite by the Bert Jansch Foundation to contribute to their prestigious “Around the World in 80 Plays” international project. Despite this comparison, however, James has a unique style and he performs a set of original songs. He has a huge voice and powers his set along with a Logjam Stomp Box. He has experience of engaging audiences of all sizes up to big outdoor festivals and he is fully insured to perform with public liability and professional indemnity cover.
James is also a member of OBOD (Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids) and as such his music is imbued with his empathy for the human struggle, complex spiritual landscapes, plus a deep concern for the environment.
Please see website for bio, links to audio and video & press reviews; plus links to all social media accounts:
It might be helpful for you to get an idea of James's live sound; the "Live" section of his website has several little video clips of his recent festival performances sent by fans; weblink:
https://www.jamesjturner.com/live
"Mike Scott with a baseball bat" R2 Magazine
“seriously great songs” Julian Piper, ACOUSTIC Magazine
“gut-level, earthy music you cannot ignore ... consistently outstanding” Tim Carroll, Folkwords
“Astonishingly good tunes” Pagan Dawn Magazine.
“If this is the sound of protest music in 2022 then that is good news” Fatea Magazine