Biography
The vocals of singer and guitarist James Walsh carry an unmistakable influence from the raw, unrestrained passion of the late Jeff Buckley. During the late 1990s, Walsh learned that one of his favorite artists admired Buckley, prompting him to buy a record out of curiosity; he soon became a devoted listener and explored related artists including Tim Buckley (Jeff’s father), Van Morrison, and Neil Young. These sources shaped the sound and confessional lyrics of his band Starsailor, which took its name from a Tim Buckley album. In 2000, Walsh assembled the group in Wigan, England, alongside James Stelfox on bass, Ben Byrne on drums, and Barry Westhead on keyboards. He had begun piano lessons at age twelve, and by the time he encountered Stelfox and Byrne during college he already possessed a collection of original songs. Following the English Top 20 successes of the singles “Fever” and “Good Souls,” Starsailor issued its first album, the critically praised Love Is Here, in the U.K. in 2001.