# James Walbourne > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/James_Walbourne > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/James_Walbourne.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Walbourne > Source revision: 1321591929 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Infobox musical artist | name = James Walbourne | image = The Rails Cambridge Folk Festival 50th Anniversary (14645013448).jpg | caption = Walbourne performing with [The Rails](/source/The_Rails) in 2015 | landscape = Yes | birth_name = James Walbourne | alias = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1980|2|2}} | birth_place = [Muswell Hill](/source/Muswell_Hill), London, England | instrument = Vocals, guitar, [mandolin](/source/mandolin), [accordion](/source/accordion), [harmonium](/source/harmonium), keyboards | genre = [Alternative rock](/source/Alternative_rock), [British folk rock](/source/British_folk_rock) | occupation = Musician, singer-songwriter | years_active = 1999–present " | label = {{flatlist| * [Capitol](/source/Capitol_Records) * [PolyGram](/source/PolyGram) * [Shout! Factory](/source/Shout!_Factory) }} | current_member_of = {{flatlist| * [The Pretenders](/source/The_Pretenders) * [The Rails](/source/The_Rails) * His Lordship }} | past_member_of = {{flatlist| * [Peter Bruntnell](/source/Peter_Bruntnell) * [Pernice Brothers](/source/Pernice_Brothers) * [Son Volt](/source/Son_Volt) * [The Pogues](/source/The_Pogues) }} | website = {{URL|jameswalbourne.co.uk/}} }} '''James Walbourne''' (born 2 February 1980) is a British singer, guitarist, and multi-instrumentalist. He is the current lead guitarist in [The Pretenders](/source/The_Pretenders) as well as one-half of [The Rails](/source/The_Rails). == Biography == When he was young he wanted to play in clubs around America. To fulfill his dream, he left school to go on a US tour with [Peter Bruntnell](/source/Peter_Bruntnell) and there he became a member of the bands [Pernice Brothers](/source/Pernice_Brothers) and [Son Volt](/source/Son_Volt).{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/worldfolkandjazz/10820036/The-Rails-a-new-folk-rock-romance.html|title=The Rails: a new folk rock romance|last=McCormick|first=Neil|date=2014-05-09|access-date=2018-01-19|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}} He became a member of [The Kinks](/source/The_Kinks)’ front-man [Ray Davies](/source/Ray_Davies)’s solo band and of [The Pogues](/source/The_Pogues).{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}} In 2008, he was recruited to The Pretenders by [Martin Chambers](/source/Martin_Chambers) just before the Break Up the Concrete tour.{{Cite news|url=https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/24979-chrissie-hynde-if-it-gets-politegame-over?page=3|title=Chrissie Hynde: If It Gets Polite—Game Over|website=Premierguitar.com|access-date=2018-01-19|language=en}} In 2005 he formed a band, Royal Gun, with his brother Rob Walbourne but that disbanded after a short tour of England and the US. In 2010, he started working on his first solo album ''The Hill'', and it was released in 2011 by [Heavenly Records](/source/Heavenly_Records).{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/james-walbourne-mn0000666741/biography|title=James Walbourne {{!}} Biography & History {{!}} AllMusic|website=[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)|access-date=2018-01-19}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-james-walbourne-the-hill-heavenly-2198793.html|title=Album: James Walbourne, The Hill (Heavenly)|date=2011-01-30|newspaper=[The Independent](/source/The_Independent)|access-date=2018-01-19|language=en-GB}} == Family and music == In 2007, when [Linda Thompson](/source/Linda_Thompson_(singer)) was working on her album ''Versatile Heart'', the author [Nick Hornby](/source/Nick_Hornby) introduced Walbourne to Thompson where he met [Kami Thompson](/source/Kami_Thompson) for the first time. In 2011, they accidentally met in Los Angeles at the 50th-anniversary show for [McCabe's Guitar Shop](/source/McCabe's_Guitar_Shop) and this time their relationship grew and the pair eventually married in 2012.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/jan/10/the-rails-new-band-of-the-day|title=The Rails (New band of the day No 1,675)|last=Lester|first=Paul|date=2014-01-10|newspaper=[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)|access-date=2018-01-19}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/apr/24/ride-rails-record-store-day-london-new-york-gigs|title=A ticket to ride with the Rails|last=Sheffield|first=Hazel|date=2014-04-24|newspaper=[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)|access-date=2018-01-19}} They founded The Rails and released their first album ''Fair Warning'' on [Island Records](/source/Island_Records).{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/may/01/the-rails-fair-warning-review|title=The Rails: Fair Warning review – Kami Thompson and James Walbourne's bold new folk duo|last=Denselow|first=Robin|date=2014-05-01|newspaper=[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)|access-date=2018-01-19}} == Discography == {{Clean up|section|reason=Formatting, non-use of wikitable(s), laundry list appearance, unreferenced|date=August 2020}} * [Peter Bruntnell](/source/Peter_Bruntnell) - Normal For Bridgwater ([Slow River Records](/source/Slow_River_Records), [Rykodisc](/source/Rykodisc), 1999) * Dust - A Dirt Track Odyssey Bar De Lune LUNECD16 2002 * [Peter Bruntnell](/source/Peter_Bruntnell) - Ends Of The Earth ([Loose Music](/source/Loose_Music), Back Porch, Virgin 2002) * Death In Vegas - Scorpio Rising Concrete 2002 * [Peter Bruntnell](/source/Peter_Bruntnell) - Played Out ([Loose Music](/source/Loose_Music), 2004) * [Peter Bruntnell](/source/Peter_Bruntnell) - Ghost In A Spitfire ([Loose Music](/source/Loose_Music), 2005) * Bap Kennedy – The Big Picture 2005 * Pernice Brothers - Discover A Lovelier You Ashmont Records 2005 * Pernice Brothers - Nobody's Watching Ashmont Records 2005 * Saint Etienne - What Have You Done Today Mervyn Day? (Original Soundtrack Recording) * Foreign Office 2006 * Pernice Brothers - Live A Little Ashmont Records 2006 * Edwyn Collins - Home Again Heavenly 2007 * Linda Thompson - Versatile Heart Rounder Records 2007 * Pretenders - Break Up The Concrete Shangri-La Music 2008 * Pretenders* - The Best Of / Break Up The Concrete Rhino Records 2009 * Joe Pernice - It Feels So Good When I Stop - Novel Soundtrack One Little Indian, Ashmont * Records 2009 * Jerry Lee Lewis - Mean Old Man Verve Forecast 2747091 2010 * Pernice Brothers - Goodbye, Killer Ashmont Records ASHM012 2010 * Pretenders - Live In London Strobosonic 2010 * Shane MacGowan & Friends - I Put A Spell On You Independent Records Ltd. 2010 * [Peter Bruntnell](/source/Peter_Bruntnell) - Black Mountain U.F.O. (Manhaton Records, 2011) * Dead Flamingoes - Habit EP AED 2012 * Bap Kennedy - The Sailor's Revenge (2012) * Linda Thompson - Won't Be Long Now Pettifer Sounds 2013 * James Walbourne - The Hill Heavenly HVNLPC84 UK 2011 * James Walbourne - Drugs And Money EP Heavenly – HVN230CD 2011 * Linda Thompson - Won't Be Long Now Pettifer Sounds 2013 * Edwyn Collins - Understated – AED Records, 2013, * The Rails - Fair Warning Island Records 2014 * The Rails - West Heath EP Island Records 2014 * The Mark Radcliffe Folk Sessions (The Rails) – digital download only 2014 * Thompson - Family Fantasy 2014 * Jerry Lee Lewis - Rock & Roll Time Vanguard 2014 * Edwyn Collins - Studio Live Session Liechtenstein Society of Sound Music, Real World Records 2014 * Dave Gahan & Soulsavers* - Angels & Ghosts Columbia 2015 * Soulsavers* - ''[Kubrick](/source/Kubrick_(album))'' San Quentin Recordings 2015 * Sarah Cracknell - Red Kite Cherry Red 2015 * The Rails - Australia E.P Rails EP002 2015 * [Peter Bruntnell](/source/Peter_Bruntnell) - Nos Da Comrade (Domestico Records, 2016) * Juliette Lewis - Future Deep No Label (Juliette Lewis Self-Released) 2016 * The Rails - Other People Sony/Psychonaut Sounds 2017 * The Pretenders - Alone/Alive 2017 * Mother’s Little Helper - Live At The Boogaloo 2017 * [Peter Bruntnell](/source/Peter_Bruntnell) - Houdini And The Sucker Punch (Domestico Records, 2024) === Solo albums=== {| class="wikitable" ! Title ! Album details |- |''The Hill'' |· Released: 27 January 2011 · Label: [Heavenly](/source/Warner_Music_Group) |} === Albums with The Rails === {| class="wikitable" ! Title ! Album details |- |''Fair Warning'' |· Released: 2014 · Label: [Island Records](/source/Island_Records) & Mighty Village |- |''Other People'' |· Released: 2017 · Label: Psychonaut Sounds |} ==References== {{Reflist}} == External links == * {{imdbname|1900461}} * [https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/first-family-of-british-folk-enters-its-next-generation-as-kami-thompson-daughter-of-richard-and-9249269.html Launch of The Rails] * [http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/leisure/features_lancashiretelegraph/15520552.The_Rails_providing_an_antidote_to_tweeness_with_new_album_and_date_at_Deaf_Institute_in_Manchester/ Interview] {{Pretenders}} {{authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Walbourne, James}} Category:Living people Category:1980 births Category:British folk guitarists Category:British rock guitarists Category:British male guitarists Category:The Pretenders members Category:Thompson family --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [James Walbourne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Walbourne) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Walbourne?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.