James Fox (singer)

Last updated

James Fox
James Fox.jpg
James Fox in August 2014
Background information
Birth nameJames Richard Mullett
Born (1976-04-06) 6 April 1976 (age 48)
Cardiff, Wales
Genres Rock, pop
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, vocalist, musician
InstrumentsVoice, guitar, piano
Years active1991–present
Labels
  • Sony (2004)
  • Plastic Tomato (2007–2010)
  • Faraway Sound Recordings (2012)

James Richard Mullett (born 6 April 1976), known professionally as James Fox, is a Welsh pop singer, songwriter, pianist and guitarist. He represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004 in Istanbul. In 2008, he wrote and recorded the Cardiff City F.C. FA Cup Final song, "Bluebirds Flying High".

Contents

Biography

Fox was born in Cardiff and grew up in Gilfach, Bargoed, in the Rhymney Valley, a former mining community in south-east Wales. Inspired by his musician father, Richard, Fox took piano lessons from the age of six, and later taught himself to play guitar, the drums, harmonica and mandolin.[ citation needed ] He attended Heolddu Comprehensive School. [1]

Fox is a passionate supporter of The Bluebirds, Cardiff City. [2] He regularly turns out for The Bluebirds' charity teams, and played in both of the Legend Matches which marked the team's last game at Ninian Park and first game at Cardiff City Stadium.

Professional career

Fox's professional musical career began at age 15, when along with elder brother Dean he toured the South Wales working man's clubs circuit, in various bands, He worked for twelve years as a singer on cruise ships and in pubs and clubs, both under his real name and the stage name Nick James. In 2000, he formed the boy band Force 5 with his friend Kevin Simm. They worked mainly on Blackpool's Golden Mile, before breaking up when Simm joined Liberty X.

In 2003, he took part in the BBC's Fame Academy and took the stage name James Fox. He came fifth and subsequently appeared on the albums Fame Academy: Bee Gees Special (Polydor, August 2003) and Fame Academy – The Finalists (Polydor, October 2003). He also duetted on the co-written track, "In Your Smile" which appeared on winner Alistair Griffin's début album Bring It On

The following year, he represented the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004 with the song "Hold Onto Our Love". It reached number 13 in the UK chart and finished 16th out of 24 finalists at the contest with 29 points. He later claimed that the voting had been biased. [3]

Fox was invited by Wayne David MP to sing the UK's Eurovision entry live at the House of Commons, [4] [5] and also to perform at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office 'Meet the Neighbours' Festival. He was also invited to sing live at the Welsh Assembly in Cardiff.

Fox has performed his original songs across the United Kingdom and the United States of America, including The Bedford [6] at The Canal Room New York and The Regal Room in London, as well as in his home town.

He has supported a number of artists. These include Lulu, Wet Wet Wet, Natasha Bedingfield, Clare Teal, [7] Honey Ryder, Will Young and Tina Turner. [8]

He has performed live for British troops on active service in Afghanistan, Bosnia, The Falkland Islands and Iraq many times, as well as undertaking a number of charity performances. He was invited to perform twice at the Royal British Legion Remembrance Day Festival at the Royal Albert Hall, in the presence of the Queen. [9] [10]

In 2007 he released Six String, a six-track EP of original songs. He wrote "Bluebirds Flying High" which became the official Cardiff City Football Club single for the 2008 FA Cup Final. [11]

In 2008, "Higher" the lead single from Fox's debut album Rocking Chairs And Lemonade was released on his own Plastic Tomato label. The single later became snooker ace Mark Williams entrance music from the 2010 World Snooker Championship onwards. The album included the tracks from Six String, and five other original tunes. [12] That same year he co-wrote and recorded several tracks with Lucie Silvas for inclusion on her third studio album.

On 24 October 2012, Fox launched his single "Landlocked" with a live performance, its profits going to The Royal British legion's annual Poppy Appeal. He was joined on stage by Jon Green on rhythm guitar at the Poppy Appeal Launch gig in Trafalgar Square. [13]

Musical theatre

In 2004, Fox went on to play Judas in the Bill Kenwright touring production of Jesus Christ Superstar to good reviews. [14] Consequently, Tim Rice recommended him for the lead role in the Billy Joel/Twyla Tharp musical Movin' Out in America. Fox won the role, and made his début on Broadway on 6 April 2005. He later joined the North American touring production of Movin' Out.

In March 2006, Fox returned to the UK to take up the role of "Piano Man" in the European première of Movin' Out in The West End at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. [15] [16] Billy Joel said, via a live video link-up at the press launch at Ronnie Scott's jazz club, "I'm particularly pleased that the incredibly talented James Fox will be returning to home turf; he has been wowing audiences here, and he's going to continue to do so there." [17] Between October 2006 and January 2007, Fox rejoined the American tour of Movin' Out, taking time off to return to the UK for a series of gigs. After this, he returned to the UK on a permanent basis.

In July 2010, Fox took the role of Freddie "The American" Trumper in the 2010–2011 UK touring production of the Andersson/Rice/Ulveaus musical Chess , opening in Newcastle.

On 29 September 2012, Fox took over the shared role of Paul McCartney in The Beatles tribute show Let it Be at The Prince of Wales Theatre in London's West End. The show opened to mixed reviews. [18] In June 2013, Fox opened the Beatles themed tribute show Let It Be on Broadway. Fox was the poster boy, starting in the promotional video singing "Let It Be" in the style of Paul McCartney, and on sides of a New York City greyhound bus. Like the West End production the show opened to mixed reviews and closed six weeks into its proposed four-month run. Fox returned to the West End production before quitting in October 2013 after 12 months in the role. Fox returned to Let it Be in the West End in 2014 until the run finished on 20 September 2014.

Discography

Singles
EP
Album

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">S Club</span> British pop group

S Club, formerly known as S Club 7, are a British pop group formed in 1998 by Simon Fuller after he was fired as manager of the Spice Girls. Original members were Tina Barrett, Paul Cattermole, Jon Lee, Bradley McIntosh, Jo O'Meara, Hannah Spearritt and Rachel Stevens. Cattermole left the group in 2002; it disbanded in 2003. After the members performed solo and in smaller groups, the group reunited temporarily for a short tour in 2015. In 2023, the group reunited and announced a tour; however, Cattermole died of heart failure and Spearritt withdrew from the group before the tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lulu (singer)</span> Scottish singer

Lulu Kennedy-Cairns is a Scottish singer, actress, and television personality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Edmunds</span> Welsh musician

David William Edmunds is a Welsh singer-songwriter, guitarist and record producer. Although he is mainly associated with pub rock and new wave, having many hits in the 1970s and early 1980s, his natural leaning has always been towards 1950s-style rock and roll and rockabilly.

Marlain Angelides is a Greek singer. She was a member of the Greek girl group Hi-5, and represented Cyprus in the Eurovision Song Contest 1999 with the "Tha 'Ne Erotas" song. Angelidou, her mother, and her siblings all have dual nationality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shakin' Stevens</span> British rock and roll singer and songwriter

Michael Barratt, known professionally as Shakin' Stevens, is a British singer and songwriter. He was the UK's biggest-selling singles artist of the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katherine Jenkins</span> Welsh classical crossover singer

Katherine Jenkins is a Welsh singer. She is a mezzo-soprano and performs operatic arias, popular songs, musical theatre, and hymns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UK national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest</span> BBC TV show

Eurovision: You Decide is the most recent name of a BBC television programme that was broadcast annually to select the United Kingdom's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest. The show had previously gone under several other names, including Festival of British Popular Songs (1957), Eurovision Song Contest British Final (1959–1960), The Great British Song Contest (1996–1999), Eurovision: Making Your Mind Up (2004–2007), Eurovision: Your Decision (2008), and Eurovision: Your Country Needs You (2009–2010), but was known, for most of its history, as A Song for Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scooch</span> British Eurodance group

Scooch is a British pop group, comprising performers Natalie Powers, Caroline Barnes, David Ducasse and Russ Spencer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amy Wadge</span> Welsh singer and songwriter

Amy Victoria Wadge is an English singer and songwriter. She has co-written tracks with Ed Sheeran, including "Thinking Out Loud" for which she won the 2016 Grammy Award for Song of the Year.

David Spencer, known professionally as Ricky Valance, was a Welsh pop singer. He was best known for the UK number one single "Tell Laura I Love Her", which sold over a million copies in 1960. He was the first male Welsh singer to have a UK number one single hit.

This second series of Fame Academy was broadcast in the UK over thirteen weeks from July to October 2003. It was won by Alex Parks. The judging panel of the show consisted of Richard Park, Carrie Grant, David Grant and Robin Gibb during the live shows. Jonathan Ross was a judge on the final giving his opinions on the acts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kids in Glass Houses</span> Welsh rock band

Kids in Glass Houses are a Welsh rock band from Cardiff. The band achieved success on the strength of the singles "Give Me What I Want" and "Saturday" from their debut album Smart Casual in 2008. The band released their second album Dirt in early 2010, releasing four singles, most notably "Matters at All". The band's third album, In Gold Blood, was released on 15 August 2011. Their fourth album, Peace, was released on 30 September 2013. The band announced their split in January 2014 and played their final show at Cardiff's Great Hall on October 31, 2014. The band announced their reunion on August 30, 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhydian Roberts</span> Welsh musical artist

Rhydian James Roberts, also known mononymously as Rhydian, is a Welsh former baritone singer, television presenter and musical theatre actor. He rose to fame in series 4 of The X Factor (2007), and subsequently became less widely known. Rhydian Roberts retired from performing in February 2023 with a farewell album. He is currently an artist manager at Neil O'Brien Entertainment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack in the Box (song)</span> Single

"Jack in the Box", written by David Myers and composed by John Worsley, was the United Kingdom's entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 1971, performed by the Northern Irish singer Clodagh Rodgers.

John Kennedy O'Connor is a television and radio broadcaster, author, and entertainment commentator. He was born in North London, England, but is a naturalized citizen of the United States. He has written, reported and broadcast for numerous media organizations, as well as writing, created and produced media events for a number of international corporations all over the world. He is best known for his work within the Eurovision Song Contest as a TV commentator and host. Until 2023, he was the news anchor for NBC and CBS Northern California channels KIEM-TV and KVIQ-LD, before moving to CBS Station KIMA-TV in Washington, as the main anchor.

Fame Academy is a British television programme that ran for two series, in 2002 and 2004. The show was produced for the BBC in a reality television format. The winners of the show, David Sneddon and Alex Parks, were awarded music recording contracts to allow them to release music and live like top recording artists for a year. Sneddon had a run of three top-20 hits, including his debut single "Stop Living the Lie", which peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart in January 2003. David Sneddon signed to major music publisher Sony/ATV Music Publishing in 2009 as a songwriter. Parks' debut single "Maybe That's What It Takes" charted at number three in November 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bluebirds Flying High</span> 2008 single by James Fox with Cardiff City F.C.

Bluebirds Flying High is a song written by British singer-songwriter James Fox. It was recorded as Cardiff City F.C.'s official song for the 2008 FA Cup Final. It was released as a single in May 2008 and charted at a peak position of number 15 in the UK Singles Chart. The song features backing vocals from members of the Cardiff City football squad.

The Barry Horns are an eleven-piece brass band, made up of fans of the Welsh national team. The band's name is a homage to retired Welsh footballer Barry Horne. The band has a five-point mission statement called the Barryfesto, which notes that the band exists in order

  1. to unite Welsh football with the power of horns
  2. to put tunes on the terraces
  3. to bring hope where there is mathematical impossibility
  4. to replace plastic hooters with brass ones
  5. to win at life when we can't win at football.
<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jean Jacques Smoothie</span> British DJ

Jean Jacques Smoothie is a British DJ, producer, and record label founder. Originally from Gloucester, England, Robson moved in 1994 to Cardiff, Wales, where he began DJing and founded a record label, Plastic Raygun, with some friends.

<i>Rocks and Honey</i> 2013 studio album by Bonnie Tyler

Rocks and Honey is the sixteenth studio album by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler, first released by ZYX Music on 8 March 2013. Eight years after Wings was released in 2005, this was the longest gap between album releases in Tyler's career, and is the first of her studio albums to chart in the United Kingdom since Hide Your Heart in 1988. With tracks written by Nashville-based songwriters such as Frank J. Myers, Desmond Child, Brett James and Beth Hart, the album consists of a number of country songs reminiscent of Tyler's country albums from the 1970s with elements of rock.

References

  1. ↑ "Singer James Fox goes back to school", Wales Online , 29 April 2008. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  2. ↑ "Six String by James Fox". Cardiff City F.C. 7 December 2007. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  3. ↑ "Eurovision votes 'farce' attack". BBC. 16 May 2004.
  4. ↑ Wayne David MP: James Fox wins over Westminster Archived 5 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ↑ "James wins MPs' Euro vote". BBC. 20 April 2004.
  6. ↑ "James Fox Live at the Bedford 22 April 2009". YouTube. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
  7. ↑ "James Fox and Clare Teal – Moondance 2008". YouTube.[ dead YouTube link ]
  8. ↑ "The Caudwell Children Bedrock Ball". YouTube. 2007. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
  9. ↑ "James Fox Don't Look Back in Anger at Royal Albert Hall". YouTube. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
  10. ↑ "James Fox – Anthem feat. Katherine Jenkins". YouTube. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
  11. ↑ "Bluebirds in full song for final". BBC. 8 April 2008.
  12. ↑ "James Fox - CD review by Maggie Woods". Motorbar.co.uk. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  13. ↑ "Twitter / RealJamesFox: Spent yesterday recording". Twitter.com. 23 June 2012. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  14. ↑ "Poppy appeal song written by James Fox and Sir Tim Rice". BBC News. 26 October 2012.
  15. ↑ Last Minute: Movin' Out at the Apollo Victoria Theatre Archived 4 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ↑ "Joel musical launches in London". BBC. 15 February 2006.
  17. ↑ [ dead link ]
  18. ↑ Michael Billington (24 September 2012). "Let It Be – review | Stage". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  19. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  20. ↑ "Ocean Colour Scene to play Hard Rock". Music-News.com. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  21. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  22. ↑ "James Fox – Rocking Chairs And Lemonade (2008, CD)". ~Discogs.com. 10 November 2008. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
Preceded by United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest
2004 		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.