James Maddock @ St James' Church

Event information

We are delighted to welcome rock & roll lifer James Maddock to Devauden Arts Club on 19 June. James has been carving his unique path since the 1980s, when the New York City based, British-born singer/songwriter kicked off his career with a raw, soulful voice; a storyteller's sense of narrative; and the ability to blur the lines between folk, classic pop, and rock.

Since his early days in London, James Maddock has navigated the changing music industry, achieving commercial success in the late 1990s with a major-label deal and a Top 5 AAA radio hit as frontman of Columbia Records band Wood. Their debut album, Songs From Stamford Hill, featured the BBC Radio 2 Record of the Week, ‘Stay You’, and earned praise from Bruce Springsteen.

After moving to New York City in 2003, Maddock’s album "Sunrise On Avenue C" won the 2009 New York Music Award for Best Americana Album. Over twelve years, he has produced nine more albums spanning styles from live band recordings and energetic rock 'n' roll to introspective singer-songwriter work including the solo acoustic "Live at Masterdisk" in 2025. His work not only received critical acclaim and significant radio airplay but also consistently ranked among WFUV NYC listeners' top picks. Maddock’s latest album, ‘Forever June’, will be released in early 2026, following singles ‘Wish You Were Here’ (November 2025) and ‘Take My Side’ (December 2025).

James has performed regularly with Willie Nile, Aaron Comess (Spin Doctors), David Immergluck (Counting Crows), Brian Mitchell (Levon Helm Band) and SNL drummer Shawn Pelton and has shared the stage with many well-known artists such as Bruce Springsteen, The Waterboys, Pete Seeger, Levon Helm and many others.

As a songwriter, James had three songs co-written with Mike Scott on the Waterboys album Modern Blues (which appeared in the Top 50 on the UK Albums Chart) and a co-write with Gary Barlow (“Actress”) on Barlow’s album (2X Platinum). Many of James’s songs have been featured on TV series such as Dawsons Creek, NBC’s Parenthood, ABC Family’s Switched at Birth and FX’s Louie amongst others.

After opening for Counting Crows in the US in 2024, Maddock was invited to join them again on an exhilarating 25 show European tour in 2025, joined on stage by David Immergluck (Counting Crows) as the duo ‘Jimmy and Immy’. Enthusiastically received by audiences throughout the tour, this has further cemented Maddock’s reputation as a dynamic and highly regarded live performer.

“James’s remarkable talent for capturing the kaleidoscope of life in superbly crafted, heartfelt songs - ranging in mood from poignant heartbreak to upbeat joy, with the promise to nourish your spirit. James Maddock continues to demonstrate why many consider him to be one of the best singer/songwriters working today.” - Dan French-Point Blank

Maddock continues to be a constant live presence in the U.S. and will be touring again in Europe over the summer in 2026.