​​Dianne Reeves once said, “Your voice is not your instrument. Your voice is the character that you build, your innermost feelings, the things that you want to say, and your instrument is the vehicle that you use to carry the message.” That fundamental belief fuels James Richardson’s passion for music—to create something honest and emotional that brings people together.

Raised near Detroit, Michigan—James grew up surrounded by the sounds of folk, bluegrass, soul, jazz, and Motown. Music was always around him. He started harmonizing and performing with his brother and cousin in local coffeehouses across Michigan, including The Ark in Ann Arbor. It was there that he met Michigan’s Troubadour, Neil Woodward, who sparked James’ love for storytelling through song.

Inspired by the storytelling mastery and playful melodies of icons like Chet Baker, Billie Holiday, Al Jarreau, Nancy Wilson, Tony Bennett, and Dianne Reeves, James found his own voice in jazz. Their ability to weave emotion into every note illuminated a natural path for him, where music became not just sound, but a vivid, living narrative.

James studied jazz at Western Michigan University, sharing the stage with celebrated artists, Deborah Brown, Randy Brecker, Chico Pinheiro, Kate McGarry, and Ben Folds with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. In 2016, DownBeat Magazine named him Best Jazz Vocalist in its Student Music Awards.

James has a unique way of blending genres and emotions into every performance. His music takes familiar melodies and breathes new life into them, offering listeners moments of joy, reflection, and escape. His voice and arrangements have been praised by artists like Peter Eldridge, who called him “uniquely compelling,” and Jacob Collier, who described his style as “inventive and agile.”

Since moving to Nashville in 2017, James has carved a unique space in the industry, which has led to collaborations with artists across genres as a sought-after recording artist, session vocalist, and arranger. James believes in helping the community to organize and support nonprofit organizations, producing a benefit concert for newly-arrived refugees at the Nashville International Center for Empowerment (NICE) in May 2024, and was a featured arranger at Nashville in Harmony’s 20th anniversary concert at the Ryman Auditorium in December 2024.

James released his debut project Daydreams in June 2023—a blend of jazz and Americana. It includes the fan-favorite original “Kaleidoscope,” and was named Best Jazz Album by the National Industry of Music Awards (NIMA) in 2024.

James invites you to join him on his musical journey—where every performance is an opportunity to experience honest, emotional storytelling that brings people together. Follow his path and be part of the music that connects us all.