James grew up in the church but still had a lot to learn about forgiveness. His father was a wife-beater at a time when people looked the other way at that sort of thing.  Children often perceive God to be like their fathers.  Despite knowing God loved and cared for him, James saw God as being ready to send out thunderbolts for the slightest infraction of His word.  He didn't fully understand the Father heart of God until he became a father himself.  In addition, sexual molestation experienced as a child caused hate in James’ spirit for over eight years.  By the time he was 16, James had so much hate in his heart for the neighbor who molested him that he wanted to kill him. James’ mother had taught him from a young age the importance of reading and obeying the Bible. The Scriptures he read each day taught him about forgiveness, but James still had thoughts of revenge in his heart.  Until James was able to forgive from the heart, like the Bible commands, and allow God to be the one to take revenge, he didn't experience growth in his Christian walk.  He wants to share this message of forgiveness with those who are hurting.

James currently teaches band, orchestra, and guitar at Falcon High School in Falcon, Colorado, yet still spends time as a music evangelist, or as he prefers to put it, as an arts ministry specialist. He continues to delight and inspire audiences across the United States in dozens of concert settings throughout the year. While in the Army Band, he gained valuable experience playing various styles of music; classical, jazz, marching and more. He served in the Army for ten years, including three years in Japan, which gave him an appreciation for foreign cultures and a heart for world missions. James also took a missions trip to China, which he describes as a defining moment in his Christian walk. Visits to South Korea, Okinawa, Hong Kong, Mexico and Italy have shown him that music can be a wonderful tool to reach the world.

Although his music will bless your heart, James’ desire goes beyond just impressing you with his musical skill. He has a heart that's hungry to see people turn to Jesus, forgive others who've wronged them, and grow to all the fullness God has for them. His life experiences have yielded a compassionate heart. He and his wife Susan have been married since 1986 and have four beautiful children.  James releases several new songs a year on CD Baby and ITunes. A Virginia native, he currently resides in Colorado Springs.