Steve James

Steve James is Welsh but born in England! There's an admission! But the family are all Welsh and it’s to them that we look. One grandfather (my father's side) led the choir in the Anglican Church of Llangynwyd, nr Maesteg. The other grandfather led the singing in the Old House inn on a Friday night, so you can see where the genes lead.

To be fair, my mother's grandfather was a good Baptist, and all the songs were of the Myfanwy type (love songs) or revival hymns. The Welsh have always seemed to move between the two with ease. Even now at our holiday home near Conwy, the local pub will sing about the death of Christ and then swing straight into 'Delilah'!

The best singer in our family by a mile is really my cousin Judith, a mezzo trained at the Royal Academy. One day she will feature on an album and show everyone up!

Musically for me, the best thing I ever did was to go to a boarding school called Woolverstone Hall. There (in 1963 -71) our housemaster Derek Thornbury made everyone take part in such works as The Creation (Haydn) and Extracts from Verdi's Requiem. For a 'house' of only 60 it was an astonishing achievement. From him I learnt that nearly any group of people can be taught to sing in parts and enjoy the experience. That was a useful lesson for later on. Piano developed with classical in one ear and The Beatles and Elton John in the other.

I wanted to do music at university, and was well taught by my music teacher, Mr Salmon. But I failed the interviews, not recognising that being a star in a small pond doesn't make up for hard work! (It's these details that I hope will stop this bio being an indulgence!)

Off to college to do Hotel and catering, when all the music dreams have faded, it was there at Middlesex Poly that I met Christians! Also my home church was becoming a positive influence with a fabulous youth group. I couldn't avoid God any longer and became a Christian in 1972. From there on in, things took a great turn for the better and song writing began to start.

Having moved up to a post grad degree in Personnel, songwriting began in earnest, and when I married Rachel and took a job at St. Helens, Bishopsgate, London, we had tunes such as God is Alive and Praise My soul (from the Album God is Alive).

After studying again at Oakhill for a Theological degree for the Anglican Ministry, I produced The promise, and during a curacy at Holy Trinity Norwich (1986-89), Eagles Wings was produced, all three albums done by Mike Newbon from ICC, who is now ordained, not that I could take the credit!

In 89' we moved (with 3 children, Jon, Bethan and Claire) to Vancouver Canada to St John's and with a responsibility to develop the evening service with a contemporary flavour, more writing developed. It was there that I met some great musicians and the producer Roy Salmond, who did my next 2 albums. Songs like Lullaby and Lazarus were on Lead me to the Light, while Angels and The First and Last were on Voices in the Desert.

It was great to have Spencer Capier on the last album, as he was just a student in my days there. He now backs Carolyn Arends, surely one of the best things to come out of British Columbia as a singer songwriter. Also starring on the album were some great players and Connie Scott and Jaqui Welsh. Connie has been the other best thing to come out of BC with an astonishing voice!

Back to the UK to take up a rectorship at St Andrew's, Bebington, things moved a little slower for a while. Voices was finished while I was back in the UK, and then opportunities for leading congregational worship came through ICS conferences in Europe, and then Spring Harvest/Word Alive, teaming up with Ray Monk of Pop Idols fame who directed a fabulous orchestra with some of his great arrangements! These were used for All Soul's orchestra's Prom Praise under Noel Tredinnick and I was thankful for the opportunity to take part in these and lead singing and speak.

At the same time I became Chairman of Jubilate hymns following a scary list of previous chairmen, all of who have made a great contribution to Christian music on a Sunday morning!

In October 2006 I moved to be Rector at Holy Trinity, Platt in Manchester and discovered I had upped the average age of the young congregation. I enjoy working with such a wide variety of ages and ethnicity, all with a common desire to see the gospel grow in Manchester. I also have a growing interest in Man City!!

The influence of both grandfathers' was beginning to show again. Christian music, but on a Saturday night in a secular venue reaching a wide variety of people. And Christian praise on a Sunday encouraging congregations and building them up. I've a lot to thank them for.