Biography

Natasha James MAY Have Made One or Two "Bad Judgements" Throughout Her Life… Releasing Her Debut Album Featuring the Hit Single, The Restless Kind Is Certainly Not One of Them!

She's the consummate singer-songwriter and the kind of unique artist who can craft visuals merely through her songwriting. Natasha pens works that cross many musical genres and pull at the heartstrings all music lovers... especially country music enthusiasts. Natasha says, "Anytime I pick up my guitar or sit in front of a piano, I have the ability to write a song. I never intentionally try to pen a tricky hook or intricate melody. I write for myself based on stories that come from my life experiences." And she's had several of those.
Her debut single, The Restless Kind from the album Bad Judgements mirrors Natasha's rebellious side. She says, “I don't like a lot of rules. I even hate sidewalks. This particular song (the Restless Kind) reflects the stage in my life where I realized I had been blessed and attained many of the things I had desired including a great home in a nice neighborhood and kids that I love. I had consciously put my music aside to achieve many of these things. But as I moved forward in my life, I missed connecting with people through my music and was becoming... restless. My new album has brought me back to my music and my desire to connect with people through my recordings and live performances."
Natasha has in fact actually been the "restless kind" from a very young age. Born in San Francisco, and raised in Southern California, Switzerland, Italy and England, at 14 Natasha started playing and singing in local Los Angeles jazz and blues clubs. Two years later, she moved to San Francisco and worked the 'folksy' clubs: Coffee Gallery and the Boarding House, among others. After two years, she resumed modeling and acting in Los Angeles, studying at Lee Strassberg's while landing small roles as a character actress. Moving to Europe again at 18, she continued singing and playing folk-blues along with her own music while studying for a degree in languages and literature. Quitting school, she moved to London, then teamed up with a reggae band playing regularly upstairs at Ronnie Scott's and touring northern England. While in London, she ended up writing lyrics to a song composed by Jeff Hunter, which resulted in a move back to L.A. to continue recording, songwriting/arranging and performing with a number of different known and unknown artists.
By this time, Natasha James was modeling on a regular basis, working in films on both coasts, performing her own music in New York and Los Angeles and recording with other artists. She settled in New York City, playing local clubs with her band, Good 'N Dusty', and was being heard on WFMU as well as Channel J for Videophile.
Of late, Natasha James has been a Bay Area staple, performing and recording in different line-ups with material covering Country, Rock, Bluegrass, Blues, Jazz, Americana and Funk. Her favorite tracks on the album include "Just Enough" -- for its compositional value. She says, "I am most pleased with that one. In fact in all honesty, I'm astonished that I wrote it. Her tune, "Hey! Ho!" was written as a tongue-in-cheek exercise. She says, "I was performing it as a swing tune and drummer Terry Domingue (Merle Haggard) suggested we perform it with a New Orleans flair – and it worked." The composition "Even a Fool" rounds out the artists top three list of album faves. She concludes, "I love the process of writing and developing a song and especially collaborating with other songwriters. It MAKES you stretch when you work with somebody else and I enjoy that part of the exercise."
On performing live, Natasha's all about the crowd. She says, "I love the feedback and interaction of a live setting. I'm not a person that wants to perform in a vacuum. I once heard a very famous artist say to a live crowd, “ I'm not here to entertain you.” That's not me. I absolutely am. I'll change a set list or do whatever I need to roll with the feel of the crowd or take us on a journey together." Natasha concludes, "I feel so fortunate to do something I love as an artist."

Album Track Listing: Bad Judgements, Even A Fool, The Restless Kind, Just Enough, Dead Calm, Harder, HEY! HO!, Life in the City, Sign Post, Second Best, Best Friend. Credits: USA for Africa, 'We are the World; Mothers and Children,' by Paul Jabarra and Roy Rede; 'Fit Kids' video for Bob Fish, Cyclops Records (made Billboard); Slipped, Tripped, Fell in Love,' Foghat, MTV video, Bearsville/Warner Records; songwriter for Emergency Records (producer Sergio Cossa), for Shannon. Co-wrote, 'How Long Can I Try,' with film-score composer, Jeff Hunter.

P.O. Box 1926 Boyes Hot Springs, California 95416
www.natashajames.com / highwayonerecords@yahoo.com Contact: Natasha James natasha@natashajames.com www.myspace.com/natashajamesmusic
Natasha James
“People are still talking about the Natasha James concert on the Malécon. We'd like to see the San Felipe Tequila Festival grow and grow and hope Natasha will return for the next one,” said Kat Hammontre, the event’s promoter.
"Thanks for a great show!" Sooz Sykes, Goddess Grove stage, HARMONY FESTIVAL
"It's hard to top Natasha's live show." James Berry, SONOMA VINTAGE FESTIVAL
"Natasha James kicked a**” Chris Loh, IRON DOOR SALOON
"Great songs, great singing, great stage presence, great musicians!" Charlie Cowles, TALL TOAD MUSIC
“the lost sister of Bonnie Raitt and Loretta Lynn” – Music News Nashville
“country steeped in blues and tex-mex with a nod to Janis Joplin and Emmy Lou Harris" – Music Connection
Publicity Phone: 213-924-4901 dougdeutschpr@gmail.com
Radio Promotion Phone: 602-896-9910 www.gbwhp.com
Distribution Phone: 415-457-9080 www.CityHallRecords.com
Featured Shows:
IRON DOOR SALOON
Fri. & Sat., Sept. 17-18, 2010 – 8:00 PM Groveland, CA www.iron-door-saloon.com
BAJA JAZZ FESTIVAL
Sunday, Sept. 26, 2010 – 3:00 PM
Downtown, Ensenada, MX
www.bajajazzfestival.com
RIVERWOOD INN
Saturday, October 9, 2010 – 9:00 PM
Phillipsville, CA www.riverwoodinn.info
COUNTRY MUSIC MESSE BERLIN 2011
Postbahnhof
Fri-Sun, Feb 4-6, 2011
Bluebird Cafe Stage & CountryMusik.net Stage
Berlin, Germany
www.countrymusicmesse.de
Natasha James owns all masters and publishing rights of her material.
Band Members:
Natasha James – vocals & rhythm guitars
James Harman – lead guitars
Herman Eberitzsch – keys (Lee Oskar)
Woody Vermeire – violin (Commander Cody)
Marius Pelsma – bass
Ronnie Rivera – drums (eng. Lisa Marie Presley)
Kerry Daly – backup vocals
Awards:
2009 LA Music Awards – Country Album of the Year
2009 Music Connection – Hot 100 LIVE Artists of 2009
2009 Live365/Women’s Radio – Best of the 2000’s – End of Decade Albums
2009 New Music Weekly – AC/HOT AC New Artist 2009 2010 LA Music Awards – (Producer’s Choice) “Country Songwriter of the Year" and "Country Artist of the Year” Nominee
Featured:
April 2010, That Nashville Sound May 2010, Songwriters Monthly
June, 2010, Outlaw Magazine
July, 2010, Nashville Country Club
Natasha James has appeared: