"He's one of the most incredible people in existence on this planet. He never ceases to amaze me. He never stops making me laugh. I want to kiss and smack him all at the same time. He's been my best friend since fourth grade. He's a special person and a gift to this world."
James Olliges, Jr., professionally known as Jim James or Yim Yames, from Louisville, Kentucky is the lead singer and songwriter of the band. On My Morning Jacket songs James typically plays acoustic guitar, electric guitar and omnichord, in other projects he's also been known to play piano, bass and drums.
Nicknames: Jim James, Yim Yames, Cap'n Goodies (EU & Z), #?^ (April 1st 2012)
Instruments: Guitar, omnichord, piano, drums, bass
Social media: JimJames (Twitter), JimJames (Facebook), JimJames (MySpace), Removador (Instagram), Removador (Removador Recordings and Solutions website)
Just one more thing: Jim is a big fan of The Muppets
"I just wish there was a way for people to not know who I was, I don't want to be this persona. I don't want people to like me, I just want people to like my music."
- Jim James
(The Independent interview, February 2004)
(The Independent interview, February 2004)
When asked about having three names in a Metromix interview, James said that he considered the Yim Yames moniker the same as Jim James, but that he felt that it's a litte bit funnier, weirder and a little more unforgettable. He also points out that it can still be pronounced like Jim James, if desired.
"And then somebody saw that there's a guy who, like, plays acoustic covers in bars in North Carolina or somewhere and was going by the name Jim James. So I was, like… I'm just gonna change it to Yim Yames. (laughs) I hope to God nobody else out there has it. I Googled it, and didn't find anybody else named Yim Yames"- Jim James
(Metromix interview, August 2009)
Influences
When talking about influences and music he likes, James lists several artists and musicians, including a certain frog. Names mentioned in interviews made through the years include; Erykah Bady, Jimmy Rodgers, Outkast, Kurt Cobain and Nirvana, Richard Manuel from The Band, Roy Orbison, Etta James, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, James Brown and Kermit The Frog.
"I remember hearing Kermit sing and then finding out that that was actually a real person singing,” he said, “That kind of blew my mind. I was like, ‘Whoa, that’s actually a real dude.’"- Jim James
(The New York Times interview, June 2008)
A more detailed post with quotes from James can be found here.
Solo work
When asked in an Metromix interview why he waited 11 years before making something that could be called a real solo album, James stated that he previously hadn't felt the need to, because he'd always been able to express what he wanted to express with the band.
"I've always felt satisfied by that [expressing himself with the band], not that I'm not satisfied by it anymore. When we make a record, we try to get the bulk of it live, and I wanted to do something different, where I build it piece by piece. It gives you a completely different vibe if it's just one person building it out of Legos."- Jim James
(Metromix interview, August 2009)
Tribute To
On July 7, 2009, James released an EP covering George Harrison songs, entitled Tribute To. A portion of the proceeds from the album will go to benefit the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. The EP was available on yimyames.com as both a digital download and a physical CD/LP
Regions of Light and Sound of God
On February 5th 2013, James released his debut full length album Regions of Light and Sound of God. The album was available on jimjames.com as both a digital download and a physical CD/LP. A limited album package was also available, including a Jim James t-shirt, a fine art print, an "A.E.I.O.U" tote bag and a keychain with carabiner.
Other musical projects
Monsters of Folk
James is also part of Monsters of Folk. Other than James the band consists of Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes, Desaparecidos, Mystic Valley Band among others), Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes, Lullaby for the Working Class among others) and Matt Ward. (M. Ward, She & Him).
New Multitudes
James is also part of New Multitudes. New Multitudes is a Woody Guthrie tribute album performed by Jay Farrar, Will Johnson, Anders Parker, and Yim Yames to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Guthrie's birth, released through Rounder Records on February 28, 2012.
Featured
I'm Wide Awake, It's MorningFeatured
On the track At the Bottom of Everything from album I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning Jim James can be heard during the chorus. The track was recorded by Oberst in Nebraska in February 2004, James later recorded his part in Louisville in the spring of the same year.
Writing
Now and then James has chosen to comment on things outside of the actual music, such as the importance of Twin Peaks, or general advice about which food to keep in the fridge for when you return from long travels.
Other appearances
November 22, 2009 - Jim James and the rest of My Morning Jacket played themselves in an episode of American Dad entitled My Morning Straitjacket.
Mentioned
Though he's not featured on the album, Jim James is mentioned in the thank you notes of Conor Oberst's 2008 album Conor Oberst.
