Artist Information

Biography
Tobin James cut his teeth not on traditional Blues, but on the incendiary Blues/Rock sound of such legendary bands as Cream, Led Zeppelin, and Deep Purple. It wasn't until attending the prestigious University of North Texas in the late 1980s that the future front man of the Dallas bands Code Blue and Jaded Soul connected with the music of the great African-American Bluesmen who started it all, and sent him down his musical path firing on all cylinders. Today, all of those influences can be heard loud and clear in the powerful, full-throttle Blues and Blues/Rock of the Dallas native, Tobin James!

1999-2000: James' career as a professional musician begins in earnest in Australia, as he travels the globe in search of a new direction. When his visa and his money run out simultaneously, he heads straight for Chicago and its vibrant Blues scene, where he stays for almost another year before being driven home by the brutal winter. Upon his return to Dallas, he becomes a presence on the Blues scene in fairly short order.

2002: With Code Blue, James becomes the first artist in over 60 years to record at the old Brunswick Records building at 508 Park Avenue, the site of Robert Johnson's final recording sessions in 1937. A couple of years later, it's Tobin James who, at the request of the building's caretaker, guides Eric Clapton's advance team up to the penthouse suite where Clapton would eventually shoot the video that accompanies his Robert Johnson tribute album, "Mr. Johnson & Me".

2003-2004: James veers briefly off the Blues path to test his musical limits with Jaded Soul, a band that combines the best elements of Blues, Hard Rock, and Funk. While the band itself ends up being too combustible to last, it's during this time that James composes his signature track, "Blue Sky Lightning", which remains the cornerstone of his repertoire to this day.

2004-2007: Returning to the Blues, James creates the group that will come to be known as Tobin James & Damaged Goods, and records its first demos - "Lonely Dog Blues" and "Rules of the Road" - in 2005. Within months, "Lonely Dog" is picked up for the soundtrack of the John Keeyes film, Mad, Bad - The Movie (scheduled for release in 2008 by Maverick Films), winner of the jury award for Best Independent Film at the 2006 LA Film Festival.

June, 2007: Tobin James releases the full-length CD, "Rules of the Road", co-produced with Jay Taylor. The entire album can be streamed at www.songplanet.com/tobinjames , and purchased online at www.allegro-music.com .

August, 2007: James relocates to New York City, and assembles a new, top-shelf lineup to follow him into the next phase of his career.

Discography
508 Park (Code Blue) – 2002
Jaded Soul (Jaded Soul, EP) – 2003
Lonely Dog Blues, Rules of the Road (Demo) – 2005
Rules of the Road (Tobin James & Damaged Goods) – 2007

Tobin James can be heard on the following broadcast radio shows in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand:
Texas Roadhouse Blues, KNON 89.3 FM - Dallas, TX
At the Crossroads - Kamloops, BC (syndicated)
Spirit of the Blues, Spirit 92.3, NSW
Mojos & Jelly Rolls, EAR FM, NSW
Tecka's Tracks, HOT FM 106, NSW (syndicated)
Dave's Blues Mix, STAR FM, TAS
The Blues Room, Community Radio, Hamilton (NZ)

Internet Stations:
SongPlanet.com
GarageBand.com
OurStage.com
Bluesroad (www.bluesroad.de)
Downtown Deb Blues Radio, Gold Radio Network (www.goldoldies.com)

Instrumentation
Tobin James & The Lonely Dogs
(two guitars, bass, drums, keys)

Links
http://www.tobinjames.net