James Kamp

Hi everybody, I'm James. Hm, what to say here...

   I live in the great mountain region of western North Carolina. I came here because it's rich in music, to play music. I'd lived since 1980 in Columbia, MO where I'd gone to college. Lots of good music there. I'd been in bands since I graduated in '84, for most of that time in Dreams About Guns and then in The Fugitive Kind with my musical partner Eddie Boster. And I played and sang my acoustic guitar songs on my own as well. It was great times musically and socially, always original music with no thought of money and no compromises. But somehow, for me it ended. I felt done with the town, and felt it was done with me.

   So I saved some money, found a new and music-filled place to live, and moved. Thirteen years ago. I started off trying to get a band together to play my originals, but it just never worked. I played in bands that did covers, and to my surprise it was fun. Old country, old Rock-N-Roll, other stuff. And an originals band, Fifty Year Flood, also great fun. But in each case, it wasn't following my thing. And in fact I'd sorta sucked myself into working a fulltime day job again. Something had to give, as they say.

   I owned a home, which I had the good fortune of selling a few years ago. When I'd bought it, I'd made myself a promise to sell in 5 years when there'd be no tax on the profit (ignorant of the fact that I could've done so 2.5 years earlier by law) and then stop working and do what I came here to do. And that's exactly what I did. 

   Not that I'm just doing my own thing now. I've played tenor saxophone in the jump-blues band Virginia & The Slims for 9 years now, and love it. I sing and play guitar in The Little Big Band, a folk, country, and bluegrass band. I'm in a duo with Trey Hester, doing all Bob Dylan songs. We call ourselves Recollection. Look for us, or book us, at a cidery, brewery, or winery near you! 

   But this site is because I'm back to the thing I do that's unique to me. Lots of folks play instruments much better than me. Lots sing much better than me. But nobody writes my songs better than me. I'm not sure where they come from, or why. Usually they start out of thin air, or in a dream. They are really what I have to offer. And there's no time like the present, finally. In truth it's where I started, playing my acoustic and singing my songs. 

   And best of all, Rockin' Out in a band, playing my originals and some great covers! The band is called Explode The Myth. Check our page here on this site.

   Tah-Dah!!!