James Howard - Guitar Instructor

James has been making music since childhood, from hand percussion at age 5 to drum kit by age 9, to classical guitar at age 12. The seemingly tragic accident of breaking his femur at age 15 ended James' school football career, but it was a blessing for his musical interests. During the lengthy recovery time James could not attend school so began practicing guitar 8 - 10 hours a day. It was also at age 15 that he began to teach other kids how to play.

Throughout school James continued to play, learn and teach guitar. He studied blues and jazz, piano and theory in college. It wasn't long before the open road called him to a career as a professional guitarist, and he worked and toured throughout his 20's. During this time, James worked mostly in bands that were combining covers and originals, and he had his first experiences writing songs for bands, recording in top professional studios in the Bay Area and opening concerts for John Waite, Robin Trower, UFO and Greg Kihn.

In 2001 James moved to Seattle and began working as a guitar teacher, studio session/sideman guitarist and band leader. He currently teaches guitar at the Seattle Drum School, plays local venues (like the Hwy 99 Blues Club in Pioneer Square), and has a regular gig playing guitar in the house band at the Center for Spiritual Living. He owns his own record label called "Laughing Man Records," on which he has released several solo CD's (Electric Rain, Mayan Mystery and Celebrate Life) and has plans for a live album and an acoustic CD in the near future.