# Richard James Simpson

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{{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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Joey_Burns) (from [Calexico](/source/Calexico_(band))) on cello, Theodore Welch on drums as well as [Dustin Boyer](/source/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](/source/Audio_mastering) by [Geza X](/source/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](/source/Deep_Dream_(album))'' 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](/source/AllMusic) |access-date=27 September 2019}}</ref> Over its seventeen songs, the albums features contributions from Dustin Boyer, [Don Bolles](/source/Don_Bolles_(musician)) ([Germs](/source/Germs_(band))), [Paul Roessler](/source/Paul_Roessler), Ygarr Ygarrist ([Zolar X](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Sweet_Birds_of_Youth)'' (2017)
*''[Deep Dream](/source/Deep_Dream_(album))'' (2019)
*''[Sugar the Pill](/source/Sugar_the_Pill)'' (2021)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/richard-james-simpson-mn0003395616 Richard James Simpson] at [AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)
*{{Discogs artist|1780188}}
{{Portal|Rock music}}

{{authority control}}

{{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

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Richard James Simpson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_James_Simpson) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_James_Simpson?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.