"He’s got such a heavenly voice and talent for writing deeply inspiring and intimately connective songs...."
– No Depression
"Storytelling is one of the calling cards of this young Folk singer."
– American Songwriter
"Over the past few years Americana singer/songwriter James Lee Baker has been on a personal journey to discover his place in existence. '100 Summers' is about being alive and enjoying the tender moments of living."
– The Bluegrass Situation
"Ultimately, what Baker created is a moving testament to his mission to live a life of meaning. "
– 303 Magazine
Birthed from the dusty high plains of the bible belt, wordsmith James Lee Baker sources the essence of his craft from a small-town past and a journey of self-discovery as the way out. Laced with mysticism, his emotive and thought-provoking songs speak to the shared, tender heart of our human condition.
In 2020, he released 100 Summers – a full-length LP of songs centered around a theme of change. The title track reached #1 on the FAI Folk charts that month and went on to garner nearly half a million streams across platforms. Two of the songs on the project –Returning to Paris and The Last Cowboy in Hutchinson County – were selected as finalists for several nationally-known songwriting contests.
In 2022, he released a cover project called "Impressions", recorded by Chris Bell (U2, The Eagles) and produced by Roscoe Beck (Eric Johnson, Leonard Cohen), which was released in 2022. The single "Did Galileo Pray?", a cover of Ellis Paul, charted #10. John Apice from Americana Highways said "Baker’s cover of Bob Dylan’s 'Just Like a Woman' is one of the finest I ever heard. He captures the lyric, understands it and possesses it as a first-class interpreter."
Recent Accolades
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2019 Finalist, Wildflower! Festival Performing Songwriter Contest
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2019 Finalist, Falcon Ridge Folk Festival's Emerging Artists Contest
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2019 Semi-finalist, Unsigned Only Songwriting Contest
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2019 Official Showcase SWRFA
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2021 IAMA Male Artist of the Year