James McCartney

{{short description|English-American musician and songwriter (born 1977)}} {{about|Paul McCartney's son|other uses|James McCartney (disambiguation)}} {{redirect|The Blackberry Train|the train line|The Blackberry Line}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}} {{Use British English|date=August 2010}} {{Infobox musical artist | image = JamesMcCartney photoshoot.png | alt = | caption = McCartney in 2011 | name = James McCartney | image_size = | background = solo_singer | birth_name = James Louis McCartney | alias = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|9|12|df=yes}} | birth_place = London, England | death_date = {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} | instrument = {{flatlist| *Vocals *guitar *bass *piano *mandolin *drums}} | genre = Rock | occupation = Musician, writer | years_active = 1997–present | website = }}

'''James Louis McCartney''' (born 12 September 1977) is an English musician and songwriter. He has released several recordings in his own name and contributed to albums by his parents Paul and Linda McCartney.

==Early life== thumb|left|Two-year-old James in 1980, carried by his father Paul McCartney James Louis McCartney was born at Avenue Clinic in St John's Wood, London on 12 September 1977.<ref name="WALRUSGUMBOOTS"/> He is the son of songwriter and former Beatle Paul McCartney and his first wife Linda McCartney. 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, Louise Sara (née Lindner) Eastman. His mother was Jewish,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://forward.com/culture/186536/secret-history-of-paul-mccartney-the-jewish-beatle/|title=Secret History of Paul McCartney, the Jewish Beatle|website=The Forward|date=4 November 2013 |access-date=15 July 2020}}</ref> and his father is the son of a Catholic mother of Irish descent.

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 McCartneys settled in Rye, East Sussex. He attended the local state secondary school, the Thomas Peacocke Community College.<ref name=WALRUSGUMBOOTS/> He has said his earliest inspiration to learn guitar was Michael J. Fox in ''Back to the Future''. He began playing music when his father gave him a Fender Stratocaster at age nine. The guitar had previously been owned by Carl Perkins.

In 1989, McCartney and his 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, at age 16, while surfing with friends, he was swept out to sea. The coast guard was called, his family rushed to the site, but he emerged safe on his own 40 minutes later.<ref name=WALRUSGUMBOOTS/> In 1995, James introduced his sister Mary to television producer Alistair Donald, whom she later married.

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, he graduated from Bexhill College, near his home in East Sussex, where he pursued studies in A-level Art and Sculpture. {{clear}}

==Music career== ===1997–2007: Early years=== 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.<ref name="yahoo"/> On ''Flaming Pie'' he has an electric guitar solo on the track "Heaven on a Sunday".<ref name=BillATP>{{cite magazine|last=Duffy|first=Thom|title=Album Track Previews|magazine=Billboard|date=12 April 1997|page=76}}</ref> 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'' (1998), which included tracks recorded privately over the previous twenty years.<ref name="prairie"/>

In 2004, he again left the McCartney family home and began living in a flat in Brighton, where he waited tables while he attended college and worked on his music.<ref name="hello"/> In 2005, he accompanied Paul during his 'US' Tour.

===2008–2011: ''Available Light'' and ''Close at Hand''=== Around 2008, he began working with David Kahne, his father, and a number of other musicians on recording his own music.<ref name="ken"/> He made his US performing debut with his own original solo material on 14 November 2009 at the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center, during the Fourth Annual David Lynch Weekend for World Peace and Meditation in Fairfield, Iowa.<ref name="ken"/> He performed under the pseudonym Light.<ref name="road"/>

''Available Light'' was McCartney's first official release as both a performer and songwriter. The EP included four original songs composed by James as well as a cover of Neil Young's classic "Old Man". In addition to composing the songs and singing, he 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,<ref name="topfo"/> including Abbey Road Studios.<ref name="parade"/>

He stated, "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".<ref name="road"/>

He previewed tracks from ''Available Light'' when he toured the UK for the first time in February and March 2010,<ref name="road"/><ref name="liverpool"/> though he at first performed under a pseudonym.<ref name="yahoo"/> The album was released electronically September 2010 on Blake Morgan's Engine Company Records,<ref name="yahoo"/><ref name="sccop"/> (now ECR Music Group)<ref name="sonicscoop">{{cite news| title= Engine Company Records (NYC) Expands, Relaunches as ECR Music Group| first= David| last= Weiss| url= http://www.sonicscoop.com/2012/08/01/engine-company-records-nyc-expands-relaunches-as-ecr-music-group/| newspaper= SonicScoop| date=1 August 2012| access-date =12 September 2012}}</ref><ref name="hm">{{cite news| title= Engine Company Records Announces Its Re-Launch And Expansion As ECR Music Group| url= http://www.hmmagazine.com/2012/08/engine-company-records-re-launches/| archive-url= https://archive.today/20121216074244/http://www.hmmagazine.com/2012/08/engine-company-records-re-launches/| url-status= dead| archive-date= 16 December 2012| newspaper= HM Magazine| access-date= 12 September 2012}}</ref> to positive reviews.<ref name="parade"/> ''Close at Hand'', his second EP, was released in 2011.<ref name="biohome"/>

McCartney's ''The Complete EP Collection'' was released on 22 November 2011. The album combines the previous two EPs along with five new original tracks and two new covers.<ref name="stone"/> It is his first physical release, the two individual EPs being digital only.<ref name="stone"/> Like the EPs, it was produced by Paul McCartney and David Kahne, and is being released by Engine Company Records (now ECR Music Group).<ref name="sonicscoop"/><ref name="hm"/><ref name="biohome"/> ''Rolling Stone'' called the opening track, "Angel", a "light and cheerful pop track".<ref name="stone"/> ''AntiMusic'' dubbed the release "whimsical and reflective, sharp-witted and affectionate. Full of smart, engaging pop songwriting".<ref name="anti"/> In a ''Rolling Stone'' song exclusive about the track ''New York Times'', James notes he composed the main riff on a family trip when his father "... was just inches away from me".<ref>{{cite magazine |url= https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/song-exclusive-james-mccartneys-new-york-times-20120229 |title= Song Exclusive: James McCartney's 'New York Times': Hear a song from 'The Complete EP Collection' |magazine= Rolling Stone |date= 29 February 2012 |access-date= 1 September 2017 |archive-date= 2 March 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120302205622/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/song-exclusive-james-mccartneys-new-york-times-20120229 |url-status= dead }}</ref>

===2012–2016=== In April 2012, McCartney told a BBC interviewer that he had mooted the idea "a little bit" of forming a "next generation" version of the Beatles with Sean Lennon, Zak Starkey, and Dhani Harrison.<ref>{{cite news|last=Youngs|first=Ian|title=Paul McCartney's son James on playing the Cavern Club|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17547939|newspaper=BBC News|date=3 April 2012}}</ref>

McCartney released his first album on 21 May 2013, titled ''Me''.<ref name=USAT>{{cite news|last=Lopez |first=Korina |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2013/02/07/james-mccartney/1899603/ |title=James McCartney to release full album, go on tour |publisher=USA TODAY|date=7 February 2013 |access-date=10 February 2013}}</ref> The album was supported by a tour of the US, starting on 6 April 2013.<ref name=USAT/>

McCartney played at San Francisco's Outside Lands Music Festival in August 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://lineup.sfoutsidelands.com/band/james-mccartney |title=James McCartney at Outside Lands 2013 |access-date=16 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130419052501/http://lineup.sfoutsidelands.com/band/james-mccartney |archive-date=19 April 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He recorded The Beatles' "Hello, Goodbye" with The Cure for the album ''The Art of McCartney'', a collection of The Beatles, Wings and Paul McCartney solo covers.

McCartney's second studio album, ''The Blackberry Train'', was released on 6 May 2016.<ref name="LAbeat">{{Cite web |last=Leven |first=Ivor |date=6 May 2016 |title=Reviewed: The Blackberry Train By James McCartney |url=https://thelosangelesbeat.com/2016/05/reviewed-the-blackberry-train-by-james-mccartney/ |access-date=15 July 2020 |website=Losangelesbeat.come}}</ref>

===2016–present=== In February 2024, McCartney released "Beautiful", his first new music in nearly eight years. In April, he released the single "Primrose Hill". The song features a collaboration with Sean Lennon, son of John Lennon.<ref>{{cite web |last1=McCartney |first1=James |title=James McCartney on X: 'Primrose Hill' is here! Today I am so very excited to share my latest song co-written by my good friend @seanonolennon. With the release of this song it feels like we're really getting the ball rolling and I am so excited to continue to share music with you.|url=https://x.com/JamesMcCartney_/status/1778776309558088091|website=X/Twitter |date=April 2024 |access-date=12 April 2024}}</ref> In May, McCartney released his third single, "Nothing".<ref>{{Cite web |title=x.com |url=https://x.com/JamesMcCartney_/status/1796527062666088758?t=bTmAUdgaxumBquQjNGHCEw&s=19 |access-date=2024-05-31 |website=X (formerly Twitter)}}</ref> On 18 October 2024, McCartney released his third studio album, ''Beautiful Nothing''.

==Personal life== Like his elder sister Heather McCartney, James lived a relatively private life before going out on tour for his music.<ref name=WALRUSGUMBOOTS/> His other sisters are Stella, a fashion designer, and Mary, a photographer.<ref name="road"/> He has a much younger half-sister, Beatrice Milly McCartney, born in 2003 to Paul and his second wife, Heather Mills.

McCartney practises Transcendental Meditation.<ref name=tmhome>{{cite web|title=McCartney, Jr: meditation and vegetarianism |url=http://tmhome.com/transcendental-meditation-experiences-reviews-people/james-mccartney-meditation-from-father-vegetarianism-from-mother/ |access-date=23 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131025231103/http://tmhome.com/transcendental-meditation-experiences-reviews-people/james-mccartney-meditation-from-father-vegetarianism-from-mother/ |archive-date=25 October 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He follows a vegetarian diet, leaning towards veganism,<ref name=tmhome/> and is an animal rights activist.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}

In November 2012, James performed at a London benefit for the David Lynch Foundation, which his father also supports.<ref>[http://www.jamesmccartneyfanclub.com/en/concerts/2012/galadinnerdlf Transforming Lives From Within Benefit Gala Dinner, David Lynch Foundation UK] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004225717/http://www.jamesmccartneyfanclub.com/en/concerts/2012/galadinnerdlf |date=4 October 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.t-m.org.uk/meditation-news/2012/11/james-mccartney-headlines-david-lynch-foundation-benefit-gala-in-london/ |title=James McCartney Headlines David Lynch Foundation Benefit Gala in London |access-date=11 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005010458/http://www.t-m.org.uk/meditation-news/2012/11/james-mccartney-headlines-david-lynch-foundation-benefit-gala-in-london/ |archive-date=5 October 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Discography== ===Studio albums=== *''Me'' (2013) *''The Blackberry Train'' (2016) *''Beautiful Nothing'' (2024)

===Extended plays=== *''Available Light'' (2010) *''Close at Hand'' (2011)

===Singles=== *"Beautiful" (2024) *"Primrose Hill" (2024) (with Sean Lennon) *"Nothing" (2024) *"Circle Game" (2024) *"I'm Yours" (2024) *"Different People" (2025) *"Heaven" (2025) *"Ribbons" (2025) *"Me And You" (2026)

===Compilation albums=== *''The Complete EP Collection'' (2011)

===Collaborations=== *''Flaming Pie'' (1997) by Paul McCartney *''Wide Prairie'' (1998) by Linda McCartney *''Driving Rain'' (2001) by Paul McCartney *''The Art of McCartney'' (2014)

== References == {{Reflist| refs =

<ref name="parade">{{cite news | title = Paul McCartney's Son, James, Releases First Album | first = Roger | last = Friedman | url = http://www.parade.com/celebrity/hollywood-wire/2010/09/21/paul-mccartney-son-james-releases-first-album.html | newspaper = Parade | date = 21 September 2010 | access-date = 20 November 2011 }}</ref>

<ref name="sccop">{{cite news | title = James McCartney Releasing "Available Light": 5 Questions for David Kahne, Co-Producer & Mixer | first = David | last = Weiss | url = http://www.sonicscoop.com/2010/09/19/james-mccartney-releasing-available-light-5-questions-for-david-kanhe-co-producer-mixer/ | publisher = SonicScoop | date = 19 September 2010 | access-date = 20 November 2011 }}</ref>

<ref name="anti">{{cite news | title = James McCartney to Release two CD Set | url = http://www.antimusic.com/news/11/oct/21James_McCartney_To_Release_Two_CD_Set.shtml | newspaper = AntiMusic | date = 21 October 2011 | access-date = 20 November 2011 }}</ref>

<ref name="stone">{{cite news | title = Exclusive Song Premiere: James McCartney's Cheerful Pop Track 'Angel' | first = Catherine | last = Fuentes | url = https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/exclusive-song-premiere-james-mccartneys-cheerful-pop-track-angel-20111020 | newspaper = Rolling Stone | date = 20 October 2011 | access-date = 20 November 2011 }}</ref>

<ref name="biohome">{{cite news| title =James McCartney Biography| url =http://www.jamesmccartney.com/bio.php| publisher =JamesMcCartney.com| access-date =20 November 2011| url-status =dead| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20111202052228/http://www.jamesmccartney.com/bio.php| archive-date =2 December 2011}}</ref>

<ref name="hello">{{cite news |title=Shy James McCartney considering working with dad on own disc |url=http://www.hellomagazine.com/music/2007/12/03/mccartney-son-album/ |newspaper=Hello Magazine |date=3 December 2007 |access-date=20 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110919071744/http://www.hellomagazine.com/music/2007/12/03/mccartney-son-album/ |archive-date=19 September 2011 }}</ref>

<ref name="liverpool">{{cite news |title = James McCartney Plays Liverpool |first = Ida |last = Ottesen |url = http://newbeatsmedia.com/2010/03/05/james-mccartney-plays-liverpool-o2-academy/ |newspaper = New Beats Media |date = March 2010 |access-date = 20 November 2011 |archive-date = 23 August 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110823043219/http://newbeatsmedia.com/2010/03/05/james-mccartney-plays-liverpool-o2-academy/ |url-status = dead }}</ref>

<ref name="yahoo">{{cite news | title = Apple Not Far from the Tree: Paul McCartney's Son to Release Debut EP | first = Lyndsey | last = Parker | url = http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/stopthepresses/277538/apple-not-far-from-tree-paul-mccartneys-son-to-release-debut-ep/ | newspaper = Yahoo Music News | date = 10 September 2010 | access-date = 20 November 2011 }}</ref>

<ref name="prairie">{{cite news | title = Wild Prairie | url = https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/163837.stm | publisher = BBC | date = 3 September 1998 | access-date = 20 November 2011 }}</ref>

<ref name="ken">{{cite news | title = Paul McCartney's son says he's ready to follow in dad's footsteps | first = Steve | last = Marinucci | url = http://kenchawkin.wordpress.com/2009/11/05/1574/ | newspaper = Beatles Examiner | date = 4 November 2009 | access-date = 20 November 2011 }}</ref>

<ref name="topfo">{{cite news | title = James McCartney Releases Debut EP Available Light | url = http://top40-charts.com/news/Pop-Rock/James-McCartney-Releases-Debut-EP-Available-Light!/59030.html | publisher = Top 40 Charts | date = 9 August 2010 | access-date = 20 November 2011 }}</ref>

<ref name="road">{{cite news | title = Paul McCartney's son hits the road | url = https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/paul-mccartneys-son-hits-the-road-26628755.html | newspaper = The Independent | date = 2 February 2010 | access-date = 4 October 2021 }}</ref>

<ref name=WALRUSGUMBOOTS>{{cite web|url=https://maxwelledison.blogspot.com/2004/06/reluctant-mccartneys-life-as-recluse.html |title=WALRUSGUMBOOT'S ARCHIVED NEWS: Reluctant McCartney's life as a recluse |access-date=18 March 2008 |author=Alison Boshoff |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071109142936/http://maxwelledison.blogspot.com/2004/06/reluctant-mccartneys-life-as-recluse.html |archive-date= 9 November 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> }}

==External links== {{commons}} *{{Official website|http://www.jamesmccartney.com/}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20120901103633/http://www.ecrmusicgroup.com/artists/james-mccartney/ James McCartney] at ECR Music Group *[https://web.archive.org/web/20040309125201/http://members.fortunecity.com/jlennongrrl/jamesmccartney/james_mccartney.htm Photographs of James McCartney] *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ux0CCMgkUDQ ''Available Light'' Video Trailer]

{{Paul McCartney Family}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:McCartney, James}} Category:1977 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century British guitarists Category:21st-century English musicians Category:English male guitarists Category:English people of American descent Category:English people of German-Jewish descent Category:English people of Irish descent Category:English people of Russian-Jewish descent Category:English rock guitarists Category:English male songwriters James Category:Jewish musicians Category:Musicians from London Category:People from St John's Wood Category:21st-century English male musicians