Folk artist Vinnie James sings about contemporary issues

If this week's Tunes at Twilight artist Vinnie James doesn't seem like your normal, everyday folk musician, it's because he isn't.

The Glasgow, Scotland, native describes his style as "concrete folk," an approach in which the music has a tell-it-like-it-is angle on current events in an acoustic setting.

"I realize most folk you hear nowadays is based on someone singing about the old rusted pickup truck, a lost love, or something to that effect," he said. "But I'm more all about right now and the things happening to us every day. This, to me, is how we give culture to our children and how we truly express ourselves deeply."

James is a former RCA recording artist who has performed with Tina Turner, Bon Jovi, Jackson Browne and The Doobie Brothers. He said Tunes at Twilight gives him a chance to play for his kind of crowd.

"I love Cape Girardeau because it's more of a working-class town without an elitist attitude," James said. "I don't sing about being rich or anyone getting bling-bling, I sing about what's relevant to me."

James said he realizes he's not the typical image of a folk musician.

"Although I'm a black man singing folk, which tends to turn people off at first, I know the struggle. I can connect with people and say that things have happened to all of us, and these are our common struggles."

While giving credit to influences Bob Dylan, The Eagles, Arlo Guthrie and John Prine, James said he developed his style while living on a ranch in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley.

"We would be out on that ranch with nothing to do but play music," James said. "For a while all I was doing was playing my guitar out in nature and learning about where I wanted to take it from there."

Tunes at Twilight is a free weekly outdoor concert series at the Gazebo beside the Common Pleas Courthouse in Cape Girardeau.

For more information on Vinnie James go to myspace.com/vinniejames.

Queen of the Dance by Vinnie James

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