DEE D. JAMES

Dee was born & raised in ‘The Black Country’, West Midlands, where she still lives with her bass playing, sound engineer husband, Keith.

Her father had a passion for musicals and amateur dramatics, so it was no surprise that as soon as she could walk, she enrolled in the local dance school and continued until she was 19. This gave her a yearning to perform on a large stage.

Her change to vocalist came when her first husband (the drummer with The Joe Loss Orchestra) encouraged her to enter a talent competition at a local football club. She made it to the finals but unfortunately didn’t win! Her father offered to lend her the money for her first P.A. and so started a singing career in cabaret in 1996.

After meeting her second husband Keith in 2002, she teamed up with his best friend, Paul, to form Back2Back – still at this time travelling the cabaret circuit all over the UK. Also at this time Dee & Keith formed a Shania Twain tribute band called ‘Rock This Country! The Shania Twain Show’. Ray Lewis from Scrumpy Jack’s 49er’s Festival was at one of these shows and asked if the band did general country music too. Dee told him the band didn’t, but that she was part of a duo that did. He booked Back2Back to perform at his festival later that year (2006) and so the transition to country music began.

Three years after starting out in country, Dee not only performs solo – Dee D. James, duo – Back2Back, trio – Back2Back Trio, but has just started to take bookings for an ALL LIVE 5 piece country band – Dee D. & The James Gang.

All formats play only country music, and are equally suitable for listening, line dancing or partner dancing venues.

Dee is happy to perform at any size venue, but particularly enjoys festivals where she can meet up with the many friends she has made from all around the country, especially when she is touring around with her caravan and can spend the night socialising after the gig!

Festivals 2009, so far, have included Britville, Oswestry, Scrumpy Jacks 49er’s, Barmouth & Wolvestock to name a few, with club gigs all around England, Wales & Scotland.