{{short description|American singer-songwriter}}
{{Infobox musical artist | name = Richard James Simpson | image = Richard James Simpson (2).jpg | birth_name = Richard James Simpson | genre = Alternative rock | occupation = Musician | instrument = Guitar | label = Rehlein Music | past_member_of = Invisible Chains, Teardrain }} '''Richard James Simpson''', formerly known as '''Richard James''' (born 1967), is an American singer and guitarist. He is a son of Renate Hoy, an actress born in Germany, and attorney Raymond C. Simpson.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.glamourgirlsofthesilverscreen.com/show/455/Renate+Hoy/index.html |title=Renate Hoy |website=Glamour Girls of the Silver Screen |access-date=3 January 2018}}</ref> He grew up in the South Bay region of California and had an older brother Charles "Rock" Halsey who was a member of Rock Bottom & the Spys.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://zapbangmagazine.com/music/interviews/richard-james-simpson |title=Richard James Simpson |last=Barnard |first=Mike |date=19 December 2017 |website=Zap! Bang! Magazine |access-date=3 January 2018 |archive-date=20 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180620180652/http://zapbangmagazine.com/music/interviews/richard-james-simpson |url-status=dead }}</ref>
As a teenager, Simpson was a member of Invisible Chains as a bass player.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.graffitivibe.com/whats-hot/new-video-richard-james-simpson-you-feat-joey-burns |title=New video: Richard James Simpson 'You' - feat. Joey Burns |date=2 December 2018 |website=Graffiti Vibe |access-date=3 January 2018}}</ref> The band recorded one eponymous album but disbanded later on. In the 1990s, he fronted a band called Teardrain, which also featured Jill Emery and Mark Reback on bass and drums respectively.
He released his debut solo album in 2017. It is called ''Sweet Birds of Youth'' and features eighteen songs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rock-station.over-blog.com/2017/12/richard-james-simpson-sweet-birds-of-youth-2017.html |title=Richard James Simpson - Sweet Birds Of Youth (2017) |date=14 December 2017 |website=Rock-Station.Over-Blog |access-date=3 January 2018 | language=French}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.zonenights.com/2017/12/richard-james-simpson-sweet-birds-of-youth-debut-album/ |title=Richard James Simpson – Sweet Birds Of Youth [Debut Album] |date=29 December 2017 |website=Zone Nights |access-date=3 January 2018 |archive-date=3 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180103193538/https://www.zonenights.com/2017/12/richard-james-simpson-sweet-birds-of-youth-debut-album/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Among those playing on the album are Joey Burns (from Calexico) on cello, Theodore Welch on drums as well as Dustin Boyer, who co-produced the record and plays various instruments.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.exhimusic.com/magazine/2017/12/16/rj-simpson-sweet-birds-of-youth-feat-joey-burns-calexico/ |title=RJ Simpson: "Sweet Birds Of Youth" – feat. Joey Burns (Calexico) |date=16 December 2017 |website=EXHIMUSIC |access-date=3 January 2018 }}{{Dead link|date=December 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> The album was mastered by Geza X.<ref name="rebelnoise">{{cite web |url=http://www.rebelnoise.com/articles/debut-album-from-alternative-rock-artist-richard-james-simpson |title=Richard James Simpson (Teardrain, Invisible Chains) has released his debut solo album. |last=Dan |first=Jen |date=19 December 2017 |website=Rebel Noise |access-date=3 January 2018}}</ref> Two songs from this album, "Roller" and "Taking Sides" were used in feature movie ''The Letter Red''.<ref name="rebelnoise" />
Simpson released his second solo album ''Deep Dream'' in April 2019.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/deep-dream-mw0003286704 |title=Richard James Simpson: Deep Dream |date=2019 |website=AllMusic |access-date=27 September 2019}}</ref> Over its seventeen songs, the albums features contributions from Dustin Boyer, Don Bolles (Germs), Paul Roessler, Ygarr Ygarrist (Zolar X) and two songs feature the original lineup of Simpson's 1990s band Teardrain – bassist Jill Emery and drummer Mark Reback.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://newnoisemagazine.com/album-premiere-richard-james-simpson-deep-dream/ |title=Album Premiere: Richard James Simpson – ‘Deep Dream’ |last=Gonzalez |first=Sean |date=12 April 2019 |website=New Noise Magazine |access-date=27 September 2019}}</ref> Jill Emery also co-wrote and co-produced other songs on the record. The album was mastered by Geza X.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://noiseartists.net/home/2019/7/5/worldwide-music-video-premiere-richard-james-simpsons-new-single-half-brother-half-clouds |title=Worldwide Premiere: Richard James Simpson's new single and music video 'Half Brother, Half Clouds' |date=5 July 2019 |website=Noise Artists |access-date=27 September 2019}}</ref>
In December 2021, Simpson released his third album ''Sugar the Pill''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://newnoisemagazine.com/album-premiere-richard-james-simpson-sugar-the-pill/ |title=Album Premiere: Richard James Simpson – ‘Sugar The Pill’ |last=Williams |first=Keegan |date=8 December 2021 |website=New Noise |access-date=10 December 2021}}</ref>
==Discography== *''Sweet Birds of Youth'' (2017) *''Deep Dream'' (2019) *''Sugar the Pill'' (2021)
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/richard-james-simpson-mn0003395616 Richard James Simpson] at AllMusic *{{Discogs artist|1780188}} {{Portal|Rock music}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Richard James}} Category:American male singer-songwriters Category:American male guitarists Category:American rock guitarists Category:American people of German descent Category:1967 births Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Guitarists from California Category:Singer-songwriters from California