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The 28-year-old East Burke High School graduate grew up singing in his father's church, Mount Hebron Baptist in Connelly Springs, and was always inspired by gospel and old-school country music.

"In the gospel field, I would say it's Gold City and the Cathedrals and that vein, but with country music, I was really into The Oak Ridge Boys, The Statler Brothers, Dan Seals, Glen Campbell and Merle Haggard," James said. "That's my thing. I grew up listening to pre-2000 [music] and I love '90s, '80s and '70s country. I am an old soul. I was born at the wrong time."

But his timing seems to be just right as he recently was named the new tenor singer of famed band The Oak Ridge Boys, who will make a stop at CoMMA Performing Arts Center in Â鶹´«Ã½ as part of their Farewell Tour on April 5.

James said he's been singing since he was old enough to talk.

"My dad, he was a singer when he was younger. My sister, my mom, my entire family are all just musical," he said. "I've been singing quartet-style music since I could talk really.

"I was in third-grade and I sang John Anderson's Just a Swingin' in the talent show at Ray Childers Elementary."

James also had a great mentor in East Burke High School chorus teacher Tina Lowman.

"She was a huge part of my musical upbringing," he said. "She was always a dreamer with me and always helped me kind of understand like, 'Hey, you can do something in this' and she was just always there for me and whatever I needed and especially in music. I owe a lot to her."

At age 24, James' dreams led him to move to Nashville, where he met former Statler Brothers' tenor Jimmy Fortune, who invited him to sing onstage at a local venue. It was there that he met some members of bluegrass band Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver. He later was asked to join the band and he toured with them for a couple years until Lawson retired.

He then joined up with well-known bluegrass band Dailey & Vincent, who he played with for more than a year.

He said working with the older, experienced groups taught him a lot about being a musician.

"I learned a lot of work ethic with those guys and, you know, how to be a professional and that kind of thing," he said.

In 2022, while on tour with Dailey & Vincent doing a concert in Wheeling, West Virginia, with The Oak Ridge Boys, they invited the whole band on stage to sing their hit song, "Elvira." That was when Joe Bonsall handed James the mic and told him to sing the second verse.

Little did James know the torch was about to be passed to him to fill Bonsall's shoes when he announced his retirement after being the tenor singer for The Oak Ridge Boys for the past five decades.

"We kind of created a friendship there," James said. "And they called on me when Joe kind of went down physically.

"It's just one of the best jobs I've ever had and they're great guys to work for. I love those guys."

Since joining the band, he's been travelling all over the country as a part of the band's Farewell Tour, but he's most looking forward to performing in Â鶹´«Ã½ on April 5. 

"It's a dream come true because ... every little kid dreams about coming back to your hometown," he said. "Being able to play in front of all your friends and family and it's honestly surreal."

James, who also recently released his first album, "Wonderland," said he's learned a lot about the business and about life since he began singing with The Oak Ridge Boys.

"If you saw them on the street, they're gonna give you the time of day, they're going to treat you like a human being," James said. "That's one thing I've learned from them, is treat everybody how you want to be treated no matter what you've done."

And while he doesn't know how far his journey with The Oak Ridge Boys will take him, he'll be with them as long as he's needed. 

"I would consider them family now from how they treated me," he said. "You won't find a better group of guys who are living legends, along with Joe Bonsall. Like I said, I love those guys, and I will be here as long as they want me here and want to continue on. I'll be right by their side because they're heroes."

As to what his future might hold after his time playing with The Oak Ridge Boys comes to an end, James said he'll just be thankful for any opportunities that come his way.

"Who knows what's ahead?" James said. "God has opened every door that I've ever walked through and I've prayed for those doors to open ... he's been faithful in that aspect.

"I don't have ambitions of being a star, I just want to make a living doing what I love. And that's exactly what I'm doing right now."