James McMurtry
Singer-songwriter James McMurtry was born in Fort Worth, Texas in 1962, the son of famed novelist Larry McMurtry (The Last Picture Show, Terms of Endearment, Lonesome Dove). James began playing guitar at age seven, but didn’t begin composing or showcasing his own material until college.
After graduating from the University of Arizona, McMurtry moved back to Fort Worth and worked as a bartender, seeking to break into the local music scene. Then, as luck would have it, McMurtry’s father’s screenplay for Falling From Grace was picked up by musician John Mellencamp, who wanted to star in the film.
As a result, James McMurtry got a chance to play his demos for Mellencamp, who liked what he heard and offered to produce McMurtry’s debut album, 1989’s Too Long in the Wasteland; he also invited him to contribute to the soundtrack of the film where he worked with Mellencamp, John Prine, Joe Ely and Dwight Yoakam in a one-off supergroup called Buzzin’ Cousins. McMurtry has continued to record, releasing albums in 1992 and 1995. Walk Between the Raindrops followed in 1998.
