James Creel Piano, keys, organ WHERE WERE YOU BORN AND RAISED? My family is from Texas. My mom graduated from Arlington High School and my dad graduated from Wiley. My dad was in the Navy and I was born in NJ. I have lived in Japan, Guam, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas. I have been around the world several times. WHERE AND WHAT HAVE YOU STUDIED? I played drums and the sax in high school ... other than that, I am a self taught musician. WHERE AND WHAT HAVE YOU PERFORMED? During high school I played in a jazz band and a drum corp. We played all the normal places ... the fair, Disney World, etc. After high school I started playing the guitar, piano and keys in a top-forty country band. We needed a piano player more than a guitar player, so I mostly played the keys. We played everywhere from Texas to Tennessee and from weddings to stadiums, mostly opening up for National Country acts. HOW DID YOU GET INTO MUSIC? (WHERE WERE YOU? WHAT WERE YOU DOING? HOW OLD WERE YOU?) I was five and living in Guam. My mother would play a stack of 45’s on her record player. The record player was huge. It was made of wood like a cabinet that opened from the top ... it could play 45’s and 33’s. It was the size of a small dresser. The player was at the foot of my parents bed. When my dad was out to sea I would sleep on the floor next to the player. Mom would load about twenty 45’s and we would go to sleep listening to the music. This was a long time before alarm clocks had a sleep function and the IPOD was invented. I have been listening to music ever since. As a kid growing up we always had music playing. I started playing instruments in high school. I enjoy playing all types of music as long it has a beat. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY IN MUSIC? Going to Concerts ... I enjoy being on both sides performing and watching. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS DISTINCTIVE ABOUT YOUR STYLE? I don’t play like a traditional pianist. I try to play more like a guitar sounds, using rhythmic patterns to fit with the drums, either soloing or just underscoring behind the melody with a contemporary sound and with Southern Rock/Country licks. WHAT ASPECTS OF MUSIC DO YOU LIKE THE MOST? THAT YOU DO BEST! HOW DO THEY RELATE TO MRB? I enjoy all the different arrangements of songs. I enjoy the feeling of being in the pocket when performing and playing from the soul. MRB embraces the style that I enjoy playing the most and their beliefs and mission align with mine. WHAT'S YOUR FAMILY LIKE? ARE THERE OTHER MUSICIANS IN YOUR FAMILY? HOW HAVE YOU BEEN INFLUENCED BY THEM? I grew up around the military. My family is very outgoing and supportive. My maternal grandfather played the fiddle and steel guitar for Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys. I am the only musician since ... I never met my grandfather. WHAT IS YOUR BEST OVERALL QUALITY? My sense of humor and my generosity and I like to have FUN.
James's Bio
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