{{short description|American sound engineer and music producer}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Chris James | image = Chris James, Audio Engineer.jpg | birth_name = Christopher Leon James | birth_place = Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. | origin = Murfreesboro, Tennessee, U.S. | occupation = {{flatlist| * Audio engineer * record producer * songwriter * musician}} | years_active = 1993–present | website = {{URL|www.ChrisJamesPro.com}} | instrument = Multi-Instrumentalist | genre = {{flatlist| * Alternative rock * Pop * R&B }} | label = {{flatlist| * NPG * Warner * UMG * Zoo * Spongebath * DreamWorks }} |current_member_of = Self }}
'''Chris James''' is an American audio engineer who has worked as a recording engineer and/or mixing engineer for several musical artists, most famously alongside Prince with whom he has been nominated for two Grammy Awards. He currently resides in the Los Angeles, California area.
==Early life== Chris James was born in Memphis, Tennessee, moving when he was ten to Maryville, Tennessee. He was educated at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro with a focus on music and recording.<ref name="RSR">{{cite web |url=https://recordingstudiorockstars.com/rsr075-chris-james-best-engineered-grammy-nominee-for-prince/|title=RSR075 – Chris James – Grammy Nominee – Best Engineered Album for Prince|website=Recording Studio Rockstars|date=February 10, 2017|accessdate=November 16, 2019}}</ref>
==Career== At college, James shared a dorm room area with Matt Mahaffey, lead member of the band Self. Following the release of their debut album ''Subliminal Plastic Motives'' (1995), Mahaffey recruited James for live performances, later being inducted as a full-time member.<ref>{{cite web |last=Harkey|first=Scott|url=https://silentuproar.com/interviews/3/self/|title=Self / Interviews|website=Silent Uproar|language=en|date=September 11, 2000|accessdate=October 25, 2025}}</ref> Playing keyboard and recording several albums for the band, he moved with the group to Los Angeles, California,<ref name="RSR"/> in 2001 to be closer with their parent label DreamWorks Records.<ref>{{cite web |last=Swann|first=Travis|url=http://www.murfreesboropost.com/the-little-label-that-could-cms-27787|title=The little label that could|website=The Murfreesboro Post|language=en|date=July 10, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323235954/http://www.murfreesboropost.com/the-little-label-that-could-cms-27787|archive-date=March 23, 2012|accessdate=June 22, 2025}}</ref> In the area, James opened his own studio named the Archive Studio. He's used the location to work with various artists, including Luther Vandross, Van Hunt, Ne-Yo, Paramore, Miguel, Frank Ocean, Janelle Monáe, and Kings of Leon.<ref name="RSR"/>
James grew up listening to Prince, inspired by him to write and record songs emulating his style.<ref name="SDE">{{cite web |last=Sinclair|first=Paul|url=https://superdeluxeedition.com/interview/remixing-prince-chris-james-on-his-purple-rain-atmos-mix/|title=Remixing Prince: Chris James on his Purple Rain Atmos Mix|website=Super Deluxe Edition|language=en|date=May 8, 2025|access-date=October 25, 2025}}</ref> He began working with the singer in 2012, mixing albums such as ''Plectrumelectrum'' (2014) and ''Art Official Age'' (2014) at Paisley Park Studios. He additionally performed guitar as part of Prince's live band and toured as a sound engineer.<ref name="RSR"/> A colleague of James was involved with mixing one of Prince's albums and was unavailable to return to record ''Hit n Run Phase Two'' (2015), leading to James' substitution and involvement with the singer's final project before his death. He later created Dolby Atmos mixes for the albums ''Diamonds and Pearls'' (1991),<ref name="SDE"/> ''Purple Rain'' (1984),<ref>{{cite web |last=Pilley|first=Max|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/princes-purple-rain-gets-new-dolby-atmos-mix-for-40th-anniversary-3767864|title=Prince's 'Purple Rain' gets new Dolby Atmos mix for 40th anniversary|website=NME|language=en|date=June 22, 2024|access-date=October 25, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Vito|first=Jo|url=https://consequence.net/2024/06/prince-purple-rain-remix-40th-anniversary/|title=Prince's Purple Rain Gets Dolby Atmos Mix for 40th Anniversary|website=Consequence|language=en|date=June 21, 2024|access-date=October 25, 2025}}</ref> ''Around the World in a Day'' (1985),<ref>{{cite web |last=Alper|first=Eric|url=https://www.thatericalper.com/2025/10/02/prince-and-the-revolution-announce-around-the-world-in-a-day-the-singles-box-set-for-rsd-black-friday/|title=Prince and The Revolution Announce 'Around The World In A Day: The Singles' Box Set for RSD Black Friday|website=That Eric Alper|language=en|date=October 2, 2025|access-date=October 25, 2025}}</ref> and the concert film ''Prince and the Revolution: Live'' (1985),<ref>{{cite web |last=Moore|first=Sam|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/prince-and-the-revolution-live-set-to-be-remastered-for-new-reissue-3194067|title='Prince and The Revolution: Live' set to be remastered for new reissue|website=NME|language=en|date=March 30, 2022|access-date=October 25, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Garcia|first=Thania|url=https://variety.com/2022/music/news/prince-revolution-live-purple-rain-syracuse-1235218929/|title=Prince and the Revolution's Legendary 1985 'Purple Rain' Syracuse Concert Set for Vinyl, Blu-Ray Release|website=Variety|language=en|date=March 30, 2022|access-date=October 25, 2025}}</ref> additionally working on an unreleased demo for "Do Me, Baby".<ref>{{cite web |last=|first=|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/prince-estate-shares-previously-unheard-demo-of-do-me-baby-3071367|title=Prince estate shares previously unheard demo of 'Do Me, Baby'|website=NME|language=en|date=October 15, 2021|access-date=October 25, 2025}}</ref> At the 59th Annual Grammy Awards, James was nominated in the Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical category for ''Hit n Run Phase Two'',<ref>{{cite web |last=Gelt|first=Jessica|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-grammys-live-updates-20170212-htmlstory.html#chris-james-purple-armband-at-the-grammy-awards-is-a-tribute-to-prince|title=Chris James' purple armband at the Grammy Awards is a tribute to Prince|website=Los Angeles Times|date=February 12, 2017|accessdate=November 16, 2019}}</ref> and was again nominated at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards in the Best Historical Album category for the super deluxe edition of ''Diamonds and Pearls''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Frazier|first=Nina|url=https://www.grammy.com/news/recording-academy-musicares-la-fire-relief-aid-distribution|title=2025 GRAMMYs: See The Full Winners & Nominees List|website=Grammy Awards|language=en|date=February 2, 2025|access-date=October 25, 2025}}</ref>
==See also== * List of people from Memphis, Tennessee * List of Middle Tennessee State University people
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official website|http://www.ChrisJamesPro.com}} * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3qPLqT1t7Y Audio from 2017 Recording Studio Rockstars Interview ]
{{Self (band)}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:James, Chris}} Category:1974 births Category:Living people Category:African-American record producers Category:African-American songwriters Category:Record producers from Tennessee Category:American audio engineers Category:People from Murfreesboro, Tennessee Category:21st-century African-American people Category:20th-century African-American people