Meet Dustin James

While some may think oil is Texas’ richest export, folks in Nashville know it’s really songwriters and country music artists. Get to know Dustin James, and you’ll see why.

Texas native Dustin James is a burgeoning talent on Nashville’s Music Row with a notable collection of awards, accolades and cuts under his weathered leather belt.

The son of a preacher and a teacher, Dustin hails from Bridge City, Texas (population 8,000 or thereabouts)—just a brief pick-up truck ride southeast from Beaumont, hometown to the inspiring likes of George Jones, Tracy Byrd and Mark Chesnutt. At age 12, he learned to strum the guitar his grandfather gave him, and soon after, he was playing and singing every week at church, writing his own songs and aiming to add his name to that list of local legends. As natural as he was behind a guitar and up on the stage, it quickly became clear this Texas-bred talent would be Nashville-bound.

After earning his degree at Texas A&M and his stripes on the college music scene, Dustin loaded the U-Haul and headed to Music City. In short order, the major leagues of the music industry threw out the welcome mat. Dustin was awarded the coveted Harold Adamson Lyric Award from renowned performing rights organization ASCAP for his song “Texas is Missing You” and began landing songwriting cuts on independent music projects. For several years running, he’s been a finalist in the CMT/NSAI and John Lennon Songwriting Contests and an ASCAPlus Award Recipient—affirming nods for a small-town Texan who U-hauled his way to Nashville just a few short years ago.

In addition to songwriting, Dustin is honing his performing and producing chops. In 2008, he was invited to perform his original song “It Ain’t Bragging” at the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, KY for an international audience that included Ali himself. In 2009, he produced the single and co-produced the music video for “America,” his self-penned song recorded by rising artist Brittini Black. The piece was licensed for the Boston Pops July 4th Celebration, and the video continues to receive airplay on Great American Country...which makes the family back in Bridge City pretty darn proud.

Any given week in Nashville, you’ll find Dustin behind his guitar and up on stage, playing his original music at popular venues like The Bluebird Cafe, The Listening Room, even the Nashville Airport. And when he’s not on stage, he’s usually still behind the guitar, working on his next batch of songs tinged with Lone Star State authenticity, American pride and universal truth.

Sit a spell, and take a listen...