A Miner’s Prayer, top new album from Matt James
By Brian Wright-McLeod
SUDBURY—The sublime upbeat country ballads of Matt James (Naveau) rise from a love of family, land and culture. From Mattagami First Nation near the town of Sudbury in northern Ontario, James was raised in a hard-working musical family.
Part of the well-known musical Naveau family from Mattagami First Nation, James is a seasoned performer and songwriter with original material recorded by US-based groups the Wells Family and Circa Blue. Performing with Sudbury’s Canucky Bluegrass Boys as an award-winning bass player, James took the plunge to record his first album with fellow musician and friend Lee D. Roy.
James breaks stereotypes with sharp insight into the contemporary lifestyle of northern Indigenous communities exemplified in the title track of his debut album, A Miner’s Prayer. The album is dedicated to and inspired by his late father, James Naveau, who labored in the mines.
“My dad came to me in a dream, and I was seeing through his eyes,” James said. “He was connecting a detonator and a big piece of rock fell and just missed him. His life was spared and he dropped to his knees and prayed. And what he said are the lyrics to the song, word for word.”
James’ voice exudes a confidence from a deep well of musical experience derived from the land itself. There is no mistaking his direction of profound respect and cultural pride bolstered by seasoned players who have accompanied him on his long creative journey. The resulting album, A Miner’s Prayer, of eight original songs, has attained lofty recognition in a short period of time since its June 2018 release.
Recorded in Nashville, Tennessee and produced by Emmy Award winner Ken Royster, A Miner’s Prayer features the talents of many notable musicians who have played with top artists such as Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Big & Rich, Carrie Underwood, Florida Georgia Line and many others. James also had the good fortune of having top backup vocalists who perform with Faith Hill and Tim McGraw.
“I got a phone call from a guy in Nashville and asked who it was,” James said. “The caller said it was Ken Royster. And I thought, ‘Oh my god!’ and said, ‘Can we start this call over again? I thought it was a telemarketer!’.”
The journey began that day.
“He set up a date for me to go down and record,” he said. “A few weeks went by and we had everything was arranged. Then, my dad passed away not long after my birthday on August 17.”
The session was postponed until October when he got another call. Royster said he didn’t want to pressure James but asked if he was still interested.
“Right then, my eyes filled with tears,” he said.
They began recording in the second week of January 2018, and it turned out to be the best turning point in James’ life.
“You don’t get second chances like that and I guess Ken really believed in me,” he said. “We came out with something magical.”
Lawrence Martin, Canada’s first Juno Award winner in the Aboriginal music category established in 1994, has been working closely as one of James’s personal mentors and biggest advocate helping him achieve his many successes.
In several star-studded performances, James has opened for Indigenous super stars such as A Tribe Called Red, Crystal Shawanda, Susan Aglukark, and Jace Martin. He has also shared the same bill with numerous artists including Dennis Deyoung and the Music of Styx, Terry Clark, Paul Brandt, The Corb Lund Band, Kelly Pickler, Joe Nichols Heart, and played for Jason McCoy’s birthday party. In 1999, James sang in the choir for long-time family friend Shania Twain on her single “God Bless the Child.”
James’s initial success occurred in 1995 when he won his very first songwriting contest on the Timmins, Ontario, country music radio station Moose FM where he received the $2,500 grand prize.
James’s debut album, A Miners Prayer, is gaining international exposure and has caught the attention of the APTN television network.
“There’s no greater feeling or reward,” he said.
Keep an eye out as James is preparing to release his first country music video “Next To You.”
Accomplishments include:
Up Rising Country Super Star Matt James
*True North Country 2018 Independent Country Artist of the Year and Song of the Year with “Already Gone.” Two-time Nominee for Song Writer of The Year.
Four-time Bass Player at the Central Canadian Bluegrass Awards (CCBA) *Four-time Entertainer of the year at the CCBA *2018 three-time nominee at the CCBA’S this year for *Song Writer of The Year, *Bass Player of the Year, *Entertainer of the Year. *James has received close to 20 nominations at the CCBAs.
*2018 iHeart Radio five-day Grand Champion New Music Radio Challenge on Kick 106 FM
*As New Breakout Artist, James’s first single “A Miners Prayer” debuted on the International Indigenous Music Countdown in the top 40 at #39 where it made its way into the Top 20 and reached #19.
*James’s single “Already Gone” hit #1 a couple times with the Canadian Indie Country Music Countdown and held the #2 position for three weeks straight, staying in the Top Five for almost nine consecutive weeks.
Contact for:
- Interviews
- Photos Available
- Music available for airplay
- Album copies available for review
- Facebook at Matt James Fan page
MORE INFO: www.mattjamesmusic.ca
BOOKING: Lawrence Martin (Wapistan): 416-500-8242, Wapistan2018@gmail.com
Lee D. Roy: 705-207-2945