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James Fox (singer)
Encyclopedia
James Fox, real name. (born 6 April 1976 in Cardiff
, Wales
) is a pop music
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 FC FA Cup Final song, Bluebirds Flying High.
, Bargoed
in the Rhymney Valley
, a former mining community in south-east Wales
. Inspired by his musician father Richard He took piano lessons from the age of six, and later taught himself to play guitar, the drums, harmonica and mandolin.
Fox is a passionate supporter of 'The Bluebirds' (Cardiff City FC). 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 the Cardiff City stadium.
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
. Simm's management company Hyperactive signed him as a solo artist, and also a backing singer and guitarist for other artists. He went on to support Liberty X, Ultra, Worlds Apart
and Wet Wet Wet
, and also undertook tours of entertainment for the UK armed forces in Bosnia
, Afghanistan
and the Falkland Islands
.
In 2003, he took part in the BBC
's Fame Academy
and took the stage name James Fox. He came 5th, but the experience presented him with new career opportunities.
Since then, Fox has represented Britain in the Eurovision Song Contest
, has toured the United States and United Kingdom with musical theatre and as a solo artist, and has undertaken further entertainment (CSE
) tours for the UK and allied armed forces in Afghanistan
, Iraq
, Kosovo
and Cyprus
. He has also had two top 20 hits, his Eurovision entry Hold Onto Our Love, and Bluebirds Flying High in 2008. http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12256
with the song Hold Onto Our Love which reached number 13 in the UK charts. He finished 16th out of 24 finalists with 29 points. Terry Wogan
, Cheryl Baker
, Fox and his mother all spoke out publicly complaining that the voting had been biased.
Following his performance of Hold Onto Our Love on BBC's Making Your Mind Up programme in April 2004, Fox was invited by Wayne David
MP to sing the UK's Eurovision entry live at the House of Commons
, 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. He performed the song on Top of the Pops
on 30 April.
in the Bill Kenwright
touring production of Jesus Christ Superstar
to good reviews. 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 debut 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 premier of Movin' Out in The West End
at London's Apollo Victoria Theatre
.
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."
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.
On July 5, 2010 Fox took the role of Freddie 'The American' Trumper in the 2010/11 UK touring production of the Andersson/Rice/Ulveaus musical Chess
. The show opened in Newcastle to reasonable reviews.
He performed Stereophonics' Have a Nice Day at the BBC Wales
Children in Need
charity concert in Merthyr Tydfil
in 2004. In 2005, he co-hosted and performed at BBC Wales Children in Need "Party for Pudsey" concert in Wrexham
. In 2006, he performed Billy Joel's Movin' out at the Breathing Life Awards for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust
, which was also screened live on British television.
He has also supported a number of well known artists. These include Lulu
, Wet Wet Wet
, Natasha Bedingfield
, Clare Teal
, Will Young
and Tina Turner
.
He has performed live for British troops on active service in Afghanistan
, Bosnia
, The Falkland Islands and Iraq
on over 100 occasions since 2000, as well as undertaking charity performances. In recognition of this, 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
. On the first occasion he also presented a film highlighting the work of the British Forces Broadcasting Service
(BFBS) for the Combined Services Entertainment
(CSE) before singing Oasis' Don't Look Back In Anger On the second occasion he performed Anthem and was joined by the Welsh soprano
Katherine Jenkins
for his last verse, and he also accompanied Chris de Burgh
on electric guitar in the festival's closing hymn.
In May 2010 Fox joined The Bonfires as keyboard player and backing vocalist. The band have performed at The Toybox, The Regal Room, The Bedford and the Isle of Wight Festival
.
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
.
In 2008 Higher the lead single from Fox's debut album Rocking Chairs And Lemonade was released on his own Plastic Tomato label and on iTunes. The single later became snooker ace Mark Williams
entrance music from the 2010 World Snooker Championship onwards.
The album includes the tracks from Six String, and five other original tunes.
In 2009 he released Say What You Like on the Plastic Tomato label.
In 2010 Fox re-recorded Bluebirds Flying High
to mark Cardiff City
reaching the Championship Play-Off final at Wembley
.
Tracks by Fox also appeared on The Ultimate Eurovision Party (May 2008).
label. It reached #13 in the UK charts and #7 in the Welsh music charts. The single also contained the original tracks Needing You and Something About Her.
Bluebirds Flying High, the official FA Cup
final song of Cardiff City F.C.
was released on 5 May 2008 on the Plastic Tomato label and iTunes
. It charted at #15 in the UK Singles Chart
, having sold more physical singles than any other act that week. The single attained the number one spot in the UK national indie singles chart and the Welsh singles chart.
Higher written by Fox, Mads Hauge and Phil Thornalley
was released on 22 October 2008, as the lead single from the album Rocking Chairs and Lemonade. It failed to chart due to a clerical error.
Say What You Like, the second single from Rocking Chairs and Lemonade, was released on 27 April 2009. The single reached number #16 in the UK national indie singles chart
Bluebirds Flying High (playoff final remix) was released on 17 May 2010 as a free download.
) was released independently by Plastic Tomato.
and The Killers.
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
) is a pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singer, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
and guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
. He represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004
United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004
The United Kingdom held a national preselection to choose the song that would go to the Eurovision Song Contest 2004. It was held on February 28, 2004 and presented by Terry Wogan and Gaby Roslin...
in Istanbul. In 2008 he wrote and recorded the Cardiff City FC FA Cup Final song, Bluebirds Flying High.
Biography
James grew up in GilfachGilfach
Gilfach is the small district that lies between Bargoed and Pengam, situated in the Caerphilly county borough, seven miles north of Caerphilly, within the historic boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales....
, Bargoed
Bargoed
Bargoed is a town in the Rhymney Valley, Wales, one of the South Wales Valleys. It lies on the Rhymney River in the county borough of Caerphilly and straddles ancient boundary of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire. 'Greater Bargoed', as defined by the local authority Caerphilly County Borough Council,...
in the Rhymney Valley
Rhymney Valley
The Rhymney Valley is a valley encompassing the villages of Abertysswg, Fochriw, Pontlottyn, Tirphil, New Tredegar, Aberbargoed, Rhymney, and Ystrad Mynach, and the towns of Bargoed and Caerphilly, in south-east Wales, formerly famous for its coal mining and iron industries.-Geography:Created as a...
, a former mining community in south-east Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. Inspired by his musician father Richard He took piano lessons from the age of six, and later taught himself to play guitar, the drums, harmonica and mandolin.
Fox is a passionate supporter of 'The Bluebirds' (Cardiff City FC). 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
Ninian Park
Ninian Park was a football stadium in Leckwith, Cardiff, Wales. Until 2009, it was the home ground of Cardiff City F.C., who compete in the English Football League Championship...
and first game at the Cardiff City stadium.
Professional career
James' professional musical career began at age 15, in rock bands which toured the south Welsh working man's clubs circuit. After leaving school, 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. During this period he wrote his first song, Miners' Town, about Gilfach.In 2000, he formed the boy band Force 5 with his friend Kevin Simm
Kevin Simm
Kevin Ian Simm , is an English pop singer and former member of the group, Liberty X.-Biography:...
. They worked mainly on Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
's Golden Mile
Golden Mile (Blackpool)
The Golden Mile is the name given to the stretch of Promenade between the North and South piers in Blackpool, England...
, before breaking up when Simm joined Liberty X
Liberty X
Liberty X were a British pop vocal group formed by the five contestants eliminated from the final ten qualifiers from the 2001 ITV show Popstars. The group consisted of Tony Lundon, Kevin Simm, Michelle Heaton, Kelli Young and Jessica Taylor...
. Simm's management company Hyperactive signed him as a solo artist, and also a backing singer and guitarist for other artists. He went on to support Liberty X, Ultra, Worlds Apart
Worlds Apart (boyband)
Worlds Apart were a multi-national boy band of the 1990s that featured Marcus Patrick in the original group and Totally Scott-Lee's Nathan Moore in one of the later incarnations of the band...
and Wet Wet Wet
Wet Wet Wet
Wet Wet Wet are a Scottish pop rock band that formed in the 1980s. They scored a number of hits in the British charts and around the world. The band is composed of Marti Pellow , Tommy Cunningham , Graeme Clark and Neil Mitchell...
, and also undertook tours of entertainment for the UK armed forces in Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
and the Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...
.
In 2003, he took part in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's Fame Academy
Fame Academy 2
This article is about the second series of the BBC's Fame Academy TV programme, first broadcast in the UK over thirteen weeks in July - October 2003. It was won by Alex Parks.- Changes to format :...
and took the stage name James Fox. He came 5th, but the experience presented him with new career opportunities.
Since then, Fox has represented Britain in the Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
, has toured the United States and United Kingdom with musical theatre and as a solo artist, and has undertaken further entertainment (CSE
Combined Services Entertainment
The Combined Services Entertainment is the live entertainment arm of the Services Sound and Vision Corporation , a registered British charity. It is the official provider of live entertainment to the British Armed Forces. CSE routinely sends tours of entertainment to Afghanistan, Cyprus, Oman, the...
) tours for the UK and allied armed forces in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
and Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
. He has also had two top 20 hits, his Eurovision entry Hold Onto Our Love, and Bluebirds Flying High in 2008. http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12256
Eurovision
Fox's first notable solo achievement as a musical artist was representing the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004Eurovision Song Contest 2004
The Eurovision Song Contest 2004, was the 49th Contest and it was held in the Abdi İpekçi Arena in Istanbul, Turkey. This was the first occasion in which the contest was held in Turkey after they had won the competition in 2003 with Sertab Erener singing "Everyway That I Can"...
with the song Hold Onto Our Love which reached number 13 in the UK charts. He finished 16th out of 24 finalists with 29 points. Terry Wogan
Terry Wogan
Sir Michael Terence Wogan, KBE, DL , or also known as Terry Wogan, is a veteran Irish radio and television broadcaster who holds dual Irish and British citizenship. Wogan has worked for the BBC in the United Kingdom for most of his career...
, Cheryl Baker
Cheryl Baker
Cheryl Baker is an English television presenter and singer. She is most famous for being a member of 1980s pop group Bucks Fizz, and has performed for the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest twice, winning it the second time.-Early career:After leaving school and a series of secretarial jobs, Cheryl...
, Fox and his mother all spoke out publicly complaining that the voting had been biased.
Following his performance of Hold Onto Our Love on BBC's Making Your Mind Up programme in April 2004, Fox was invited by Wayne David
Wayne David
Wayne David is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Caerphilly since 2001. He was Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Wales Office from 2008 to 2010...
MP to sing the UK's Eurovision entry live at the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
, 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. He performed the song on Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
on 30 April.
Musical Theatre
In 2004 Fox went on to play JudasJudas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot was, according to the New Testament, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He is best known for his betrayal of Jesus to the hands of the chief priests for 30 pieces of silver.-Etymology:...
in the Bill Kenwright
Bill Kenwright
Bill Kenwright CBE is a leading West End theatre producer and film producer.He is also the Chairman of Everton Football Club, an English professional football club from the city of Liverpool....
touring production of Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Tim Rice. The musical started off as a rock opera concept recording before its first staging on Broadway in 1971...
to good reviews. Consequently, Tim Rice
Tim Rice
Sir Timothy Miles Bindon "Tim" Rice is an British lyricist and author.An Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning lyricist, Rice is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus...
recommended him for the lead role in the Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
/Twyla Tharp
Twyla Tharp
Twyla Tharp is an American dancer and choreographer, who lives and works in New York City.-Early years:Tharp was born in 1941 on a farm in Portland, Indiana, and was named after Twila Thornburg, the "Pig Princess" of the 89th Annual Muncie Fair in Indiana.she spend hours working on it to help her...
musical Movin' Out
Movin' Out (musical)
Movin' Out is a jukebox musical featuring the songs of Billy Joel.Conceived by Twyla Tharp, the musical tells the story of a generation of American youth growing up on Long Island during the 1960s and their experiences with the Vietnam War...
in America. Fox won the role, and made his debut on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
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 premier of Movin' Out in The West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
at London's Apollo Victoria Theatre
Apollo Victoria Theatre
The Apollo Victoria Theatre is a West End theatre, located on Wilton Road near Victoria station in the City of Westminster. Opened as a cinema and variety theatre, the Apollo Victoria became a venue for musical theatre, beginning with The Sound of Music in 1981, and including the long-running...
.
Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
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."
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.
On July 5, 2010 Fox took the role of Freddie 'The American' Trumper in the 2010/11 UK touring production of the Andersson/Rice/Ulveaus musical Chess
Chess (musical)
Chess is a musical with music by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, formerly of ABBA, and with lyrics by Tim Rice. The story involves a romantic triangle between two top players, an American and a Russian, in a world chess championship, and a woman who manages one and falls in love with the other;...
. The show opened in Newcastle to reasonable reviews.
Live performances
Fox has performed several original songs at The Bedford and at The Regal Room in London, as well as in his home town.He performed Stereophonics' Have a Nice Day at the BBC Wales
BBC Wales
BBC Cymru Wales is a division of the British Broadcasting Corporation for Wales. Based at Broadcasting House in the Llandaff area of Cardiff, it directly employs over 1200 people, and produces a broad range of television, radio and online services in both the Welsh and English languages.Outside...
Children in Need
Children in Need
Children in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...
charity concert in Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of...
in 2004. In 2005, he co-hosted and performed at BBC Wales Children in Need "Party for Pudsey" concert in Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
. In 2006, he performed Billy Joel's Movin' out at the Breathing Life Awards for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust
Cystic Fibrosis Trust
The Cystic Fibrosis Trust, founded in 1964, is the United Kingdom’s only national charity dedicated to all aspects of cystic fibrosis . It funds research to treat and cure CF and aims to ensure appropriate clinical care and support for people with cystic fibrosis.-Objectives:Its objectives are:*To...
, which was also screened live on British television.
He has also supported a number of well known artists. These include Lulu
Lulu (singer)
Lulu Kennedy-Cairns, OBE , best known by her stage name Lulu, is a Scottish singer, actress, and television personality who has been successful in the entertainment business from the 1960s through to the present day...
, Wet Wet Wet
Wet Wet Wet
Wet Wet Wet are a Scottish pop rock band that formed in the 1980s. They scored a number of hits in the British charts and around the world. The band is composed of Marti Pellow , Tommy Cunningham , Graeme Clark and Neil Mitchell...
, Natasha Bedingfield
Natasha Bedingfield
Natasha Anne Bedingfield is a British pop singer and songwriter. Bedingfield debuted in the 1990s as a member of the Christian dance/electronic group The DNA Algorithm with her siblings Daniel Bedingfield and Nikola Rachelle...
, Clare Teal
Clare Teal
Clare Teal is an English jazz singer who has become famous not only for her singing, but also for having signed the biggest ever recording contract by a British jazz singer.-Biography:...
, Will Young
Will Young
William Robert "Will" Young is a British singer-songwriter and actor who came to prominenceafter winning the 2002 inaugural series of the British music contest Pop Idol, making him the first winner of the now-worldwide Idols-format franchise...
and Tina Turner
Tina Turner
Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
.
He has performed live for British troops on active service in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, The Falkland Islands and Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
on over 100 occasions since 2000, as well as undertaking charity performances. In recognition of this, he was invited to perform twice at the Royal British Legion Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth countries since the end of World War I to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty. This day, or alternative dates, are also recognized as special days for war remembrances in many non-Commonwealth...
Festival at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
, in the presence of The Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
. On the first occasion he also presented a film highlighting the work of the British Forces Broadcasting Service
British Forces Broadcasting Service
The British Forces Broadcasting Service provides radio and television programmes for HM Forces, and their dependents, in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Brunei, Canada, Cyprus, the Falkland Islands, Germany, Gibraltar, Kosovo, the Middle East, Northern Ireland and Tristan da Cunha as well as a live satellite...
(BFBS) for the Combined Services Entertainment
Combined Services Entertainment
The Combined Services Entertainment is the live entertainment arm of the Services Sound and Vision Corporation , a registered British charity. It is the official provider of live entertainment to the British Armed Forces. CSE routinely sends tours of entertainment to Afghanistan, Cyprus, Oman, the...
(CSE) before singing Oasis' Don't Look Back In Anger On the second occasion he performed Anthem and was joined by the Welsh soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
Katherine Jenkins
Katherine Jenkins
Katherine Jenkins is a Welsh mezzo-soprano. She is a classical-popular crossover singer who performs across a spectrum of operatic arias, popular songs, musical theatre and hymns.-Early life and education:...
for his last verse, and he also accompanied Chris de Burgh
Chris de Burgh
Chris de Burgh is a British/Irish singer-songwriter. He is most famous for his 1986 love song "The Lady in Red".-Early life:...
on electric guitar in the festival's closing hymn.
In May 2010 Fox joined The Bonfires as keyboard player and backing vocalist. The band have performed at The Toybox, The Regal Room, The Bedford and the Isle of Wight Festival
Isle of Wight Festival
The Isle of Wight Festival is a music festival which takes place every year on the Isle of Wight in England. It was originally held from 1968 to 1970. These original events were promoted and organised by the Foulk brothers under the banner of their company Fiery Creations Limited...
.
Recording career
In 2004, Fox recorded Hold Onto Our Love, Needing You and Something About Her which were released across two CD singles.In 2007 he released Six String, a six-track EP of original songs.
He wrote Bluebirds Flying High
Bluebirds Flying High
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...
which became the official Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
Football Club single for the 2008 FA Cup Final
2008 FA Cup Final
The 2008 FA Cup Final was a football match held at Wembley Stadium on 17 May 2008 and was the final match of the 2007–08 FA Cup competition. The match was the 127th FA Cup Final, and the second to be held at the new Wembley Stadium since its redevelopment. The match was contested by Portsmouth and...
.
In 2008 Higher the lead single from Fox's debut album Rocking Chairs And Lemonade was released on his own Plastic Tomato label and on iTunes. The single later became snooker ace Mark Williams
Mark Williams (snooker player)
Mark James Williams, MBE is a Welsh professional snooker player who has been World Champion twice, in 2000 and 2003. Often noted for his single-ball potting, he has earned the nickname, The Welsh Potting Machine...
entrance music from the 2010 World Snooker Championship onwards.
The album includes the tracks from Six String, and five other original tunes.
In 2009 he released Say What You Like on the Plastic Tomato label.
In 2010 Fox re-recorded Bluebirds Flying High
Bluebirds Flying High
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...
to mark Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
reaching the Championship Play-Off final at Wembley
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
.
Compilation albums
One track by James Fox appeared on each of the official Fame Academy compilation albums, Fame Academy: Bee Gees Special (Polydor, August 2003) and Fame Academy - The Finalists (Polydor, October 2003).Tracks by Fox also appeared on The Ultimate Eurovision Party (May 2008).
Singles
Hold Onto Our Love, the official UK Eurovision entry for 2004, was released as a CD single in April 2004 on the SonySony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
label. It reached #13 in the UK charts and #7 in the Welsh music charts. The single also contained the original tracks Needing You and Something About Her.
Bluebirds Flying High, the official FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
final song of Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
was released on 5 May 2008 on the Plastic Tomato label and iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
. It charted at #15 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, having sold more physical singles than any other act that week. The single attained the number one spot in the UK national indie singles chart and the Welsh singles chart.
Higher written by Fox, Mads Hauge and Phil Thornalley
Phil Thornalley
Phil Thornalley is a songwriter-producer who has worked in the music industry since 1978. He is perhaps best known for co-writing the song "Torn" which Natalie Imbruglia later covered to great success for her 1997 debut album, Left of the Middle...
was released on 22 October 2008, as the lead single from the album Rocking Chairs and Lemonade. It failed to chart due to a clerical error.
Say What You Like, the second single from Rocking Chairs and Lemonade, was released on 27 April 2009. The single reached number #16 in the UK national indie singles chart
Bluebirds Flying High (playoff final remix) was released on 17 May 2010 as a free download.
EP
In December 2007 a six track CD of original songs entitled Six String (iTunesITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
) was released independently by Plastic Tomato.
Album
Rocking Chairs And Lemonade was released via iTunes and on CD on 10 November 2008. It included the six tracks from Six String plus five other tracks. As well as songwriting, Fox played most of the instruments including guitar, piano, synthesiser, mandolin, bass, harmonica and drums. The album received good reviews and being compared to the likes Take ThatTake That
Take That are a British five-piece vocal pop group comprising Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange, Mark Owen and Robbie Williams. Barlow acts as the lead singer and primary songwriter...
and The Killers.