Anglo-American troubadour (and sometime rooftop balladeer) James Riley crafts music which seamlessly blends joyously anthemic songcraft, lucidly poetic storytelling, and a disarmingly candid folk voice.
After a 2-year stint in Nashville, Tennessee making his long-overdue debut album, in March 2020 James returned to a covid-stricken England, to find an entire year of touring struck off his calendar overnight. Never one to be defeated by a global pandemic, he began live-streaming concerts from his rooftop in North London. The resulting series of 30 live-streamed rooftop concerts drew media attention from the BBC & The Guardian, endorsement & financial backing from UK Arts Council, reached millions of viewers online and raised nearly £45K for charities. Riley’s neighbours even painted a giant mural of his band on his house.
Now back on more conventional stages, James has had a feverishly busy 2022, with appearances at festivals including The Great Escape and Wilderness, and with a new album slated for release in 2023, his gradually ascendent star seems to be leading from the tiles on his rooftop to new heights.
James and his band perform during a power outage at Shrewsbury Folk Festival
“Incredible”
Huw Stephens, BBC Radio 1
“A bit of a folk genius”
Janice Long, BBC Radio Wales
“Absolutely fantastic”
Kev Jones, Bear’s Den/Communion
“Exquisite”
Ear To The Ground Music
“One of my highlights of the year”
Verity Sharp, BBC Radio 3
“Awesome… like the Allman Brothers meets the Seeger Sessions”
Laura Marling
“It hooked us on first listen…from the harmonies to the guitar work there’s nothing to not like”
Folk Radio UK
“James Riley won’t be one of the best kept secrets on the London folk scene for much longer”
For Folk’s Sake