I found him at the Wilkinson Center, crouched between a recycling bin and a trash can. His feet were sticking out just enough to give away his hiding space.

Joshua James stood up to shake my hand. At eye-level, the sneaky boy on the ground transformed into a mysteriously intriguing man. His glass gray eyes offset his jet black air tucked behind a fedora-like hat. His face had a little scruff, but nothing dense enough to call a beard.

“I cannot grow a good beard,” James said. “It’s so frustrating to me. Let everyone know that’s not a reflection of my man-hood—it’s the curse of my father.”

James, 25, a self-proclaimed folk/rock-n-roll music artist with real country influence, was raised in Nebraska, served an LDS mission in Venezuela and now resides in Provo.

The musical perfectionist has topped iTunes charts and toured with big-timers John Mayer, David Gray and Brett Dennen.

“It’s very surreal and super humbling to be able to tour with someone so large [David Gray],” James said. “It feels insane. They were the best shows I’ve ever been able to play.”

James has no preshow rituals, though his nerves often keep him from eating.

As for humility, he abounds.

“It’s the fact that I’m really no good,” James said. “People have just been so kind, and I’ve had a stroke of good luck.”

McKay Stevens, a friend and business partner with James, disagreed.

“He is the best musician I know. All-around,” Stevens said. “He was just born to do it.”

Stevens admires James’ perspective on life, calling him a “good person,” “a great human being” and someone who “really cares about people.”

James’ flaw?

“He rarely changes his clothes,” Stevens said with a laugh. “I don’t care, but that’s probably what his wife would say.”

James has been married for a little over two years. His wife, Emily James, is an American Fork native. The two met in Utah after Joshua James came out for school at what was then UVSC.

“Growing up Mormon, it was just kinda the thing to do,” Joshua James said.

Madison Chase, 22, a zoology major at UVU, is close friends with Emily James and met Joshua James through her.

“He was very down to earth, really chill, smart and seemed really cool—a perfect fit for my friend Emily,” Chase said. “They seem really solid, really great together.”

Chase said Emily James is completely supportive of her husband’s music career.

Before Joshua James was stopped on the streets by star-struck fans—he said those occurrences are always “very terribly awkward”—he sang in a choir and hated it, took piano and was mediocre at it and learned sewing and used it.

“For a high school dance once, I made my date’s skirt. It had an elastic waistband and every-thing,” James said. “It was terrible. Really, so hideous.”

Today, James values music as much more than an obligated choir voice or dodgy piano piece. He said music is a phenomenal medium that reaches all outlets when other media cannot. For James, music is what keeps him happy.

James’ music keeps others happy, too.

Daniel Kunz, 26, a San Diego, Calif., native currently residing in Rexburg, Idaho, played a show in Rexburg with James on Saturday night.

“Everyone seems to like him,” Kunz said. “His music is great.”

Kunz said James started his set with an acoustic guitar. He and a band member took separate corners and met in the middle of the 200 people in attendance. The two then sang their first song together.

Despite his increasing fan base and sure musical success, how-ever, James remains a light spender. Maybe it’s all the humility.

“I’m very tight with money,” James said. “I don’t buy new clothes. I worry a lot about the future.”

Trevor Huish, James’ friend and touring manager, notices James’ frugal habits.

“He’s too thrifty with his money,” Huish said. “We’ll go out and he won’t even want to buy a treat.”

Huish and James like to watch movies, listen to records, chat about music, skateboard and bike ride.

“He’s very passionate,” Huish said of James. “He’s a very sin-cere person, and that also shows through in his music.”

James writes his music when he is feeling strongly about a subject or circumstance. He said he doesn’t know what words he’s going to write, but he sits down, often at the piano, and the song writes itself.

Though he said he looks more like his father, James credits his mother for his musical talent. She is a concert pianist, while his father is a doctor. James calls both his idols.

“I have very good relationships with my parents,” James said. “My father thought I was a fool when I first dropped out of school to do music, but he’s come around.”

James’ father recently sent James a letter that drew him to tears, a breakdown that hap-pens every now and again for James.

“I just want to be so close to my family,” James said.

The “spiritual” musician is hopeful his future will include music, skydiving and a six-month hiatus in Europe. Some-day, though no time soon, it might also include children.

Copyright Brigham Young University 18 Nov 2008