Casey James News

Casey James puts Cool on the map and music career on fast track with selection to ‘American Idol’ top 24

By Libby Cluett Mineral Wells Index

MINERAL WELLS — Tuesday night on “American Idol” was “cool” according to judges, when they heard of contestant Casey James’ hometown.

When he explained to judges in a matter-of-fact tone that Cool, Texas, was between Weatherford and Mineral Wells, James put Cool on the Idol map.

After he covered Colbie Caillat’s song “Bubbly,” James became one of seven announced Tuesday as moving on to Season 9’s top 24 – something online spoiler alerts pegged several weeks ago.

James, 27, now lives in Fort Worth, but hails from Cool and is a Millsap High School graduate, with a singing history dating back to elementary school.

Many of his close friends, from Mineral Wells, Cool, Millsap and all the way to Fort Worth knew about his advancement to next week’s audience-voting portion of the show, but couldn’t tell.

Mineral Wells resident and friend Jeff Bridgeman has kept up with James and knew of his rise through the Idol process, but said, “Until last night he couldn’t say anything, but I knew he made Hollywood.”

“He’s a very deserving young man,” he said. “He’s a fine young man, and you can start seeing that in the show. He’s first and foremost a musician – a musician that sings.”

James played locally at venues like the Crazy Water Festival and the H2JO Coffee House in Mineral Wells.

“Casey was always a beautiful performer who was all about the music,” said Ninfa Holly, former H2JO owner. “He played for tips and frozen hot chocolate at H2JO and seemed happy to have a place to play his music.

“We tried to get him to audition for ‘American Idol’ back then, but he just said no,” she added. “I am feeling (Idol judge) Kara DioGuardi’s love for Casey!”

“(Co-owner) Amy Hopkins and I have always known he was something special and I still have an autographed poster from when he played the coffee house that says, ‘Don’t sell this for a million dollars now that I am famous.’”

James comes from a family of musicians.

Friend and former Mineral Wells resident Cassie Gossett said James and his brother, Billy, have a band together and play in Fort Worth.

“They’re great guys,” she said. “Casey is one of the most amazing people. The more you get to know him, the more you fall in love with him.”

“When Casey sings he sounds like an angel,” she added. “He’s so talented and gifted. He’s had to overcome so much. It’s all about the music – it’s his heart and soul.”

In an interview after his Denver audition, James credited his mother, Debra James – a musician and registered nurse – for encouraging him to try out for “American Idol.”

“He’s been doing this a long time,” his mother told the Index. “He was actually humming tunes in the crib before he could talk,” she added. “I was worried about him because he just wasn’t talking.” So she said she told a friend who was visiting. “She said ‘Debra there’s nothing wrong with that child, come here and listen.’ So we stood by the door and he was humming the ‘MASH’ theme song,” which she said they frequently had on the TV.

“We all play and sing,” she said of her sons, who were seven years apart in age, Casey being the youngest.

“I’ve been hauling him to concerts before he could see the stage,” she said, recalling that either she or her older son, Billy, would raise him to see. “He always wanted to see who was playing the guitar.”

Debra James was a single mother going to nursing school when the TV went out in a storm.

“We didn’t have a TV [after that]. I was going to school and training to be a nurse so we spent time playing instruments or reading,” she said.

“I bought him a Stratocaster guitar when he was 16 and within a year, he was playing gigs in front of people,” she said.

She had a band, in which both of her sons played – she on keyboard, Billy on bass guitar and Casey on lead guitar and both mom and Casey sang.

One of Casey’s first gigs was at the Crazy Water Festival, playing in his mother’s family band, called “The King James Band.” Debra James said his tennis coach called him “King James.”

Last year, she said she had the opportunity to play with Casey from May to November.

“It was bittersweet for me, because it was the last time I’d play with him – he’s out of my league,” Debra James said. “But that’s a good thing.”

“I’ve been in the music circles in this area a while and I’ve seen so many musicians [try to make it]. I wanted more for my son and unless you have a ton of money, it’s impossible to get a break. So, I really wanted more for him than to just play locally,” she said of encouraging him try out for “American Idol.”

She suggested it, “But he said he’s not into top 40 tunes, he listens to what is good. I kept bugging him.”

“He missed the Dallas audition and we have family in Denver. He said he didn’t think his car could take him, so I handed him the keys to my truck,” she said. “I just wanted someone to see him.”

“I told him, ‘You have everything to gain and nothing to lose.’ So he went up to Denver and the rest is history. It is an amazing thing. I knew in my heart he was supposed to go,” said James’ mother.

She said she’s not shocked he made it this far, but called the moment and his appearance on TV “very surreal” and “very humbling.”

“He’s been through a lot and to see this wonderful thing happen for him is more than any mother could every hope for him, especially a single mom.

“I was so hoping his success would encourage single moms,” she said. “You always wonder if you’re doing things right, because it’s just you. You wonder if you’re making mistakes. I think this is a victory for single moms, that good things can happen through all your struggles.”

“There were just so many nights and days that I was wondering if I was doing the right thing and hoped my kids would turn out all right and I wouldn’t ruin them. It’s a scary feeling [sometimes] you think nothing good could happen if it’s just you, but that isn’t right,” she added.

Back in Denver

After mixed reviews in his Denver audition – including James’ notable shirt removal, prompted by judges DioGuardi and Victoria “Posh Spice” Beckham – Randy Jackson encouraged James to find some “sharp persona pills” when he returned.

The next week, he impressed judges with his rendition of Ray Charles’ 1966 blues hit “I Don’t Need No Doctor.”

He needed a doctor several years ago.

In one of his Idol interviews, James mentioned a motorcycle wreck about six years ago and showed his scars, saying he wasn’t sure after his wreck if he would play the guitar again.

Bridgeman said he helped James recuperate after the near-fatal wreck that left James with compound fractures to his left wrist and right femur.

“It was terrible,” he said of James’ injuries, which occurred in a motorcycle wreck on State Highway 51, south of Weatherford. “Casey was test driving a motorcycle at 50 mph and a pickup flipped a [U-turn] in front of him and [James] hit the pickup.”

Debra James said her son was in a wheelchair for six months.

James had other talents, beyond music.

“He was a really good tennis player, but his devotion to the guitar overshadowed everything. He loved the guitar more than anything,” she said.

Dick McClintic, James’ Millsap High School tennis coach, recalled the young musicians’ talents and character.

He called James a “fun kid who wore his hair long back then, too.” When asked about Casey taking off his shirt in his Denver Idol audition, McClintic said, “That was Casey. He didn’t bat an eye. He’ll do whatever he has to do.”

McClintic told the Index James’ locker was right outside his door. He asked James if he wanted to try out for the tennis team in 1999 and said James was game.

The new tennis recruit “played and practiced very, very hard,” said the coach.

In his junior year, James beat Brock High School’s number 2 seeded player. Knowing the Millsap coach, the Brock player came to him. “He was devastated,” McClintock said of James’ opponent. “He said, ‘I don’t mind losing, but I had to lose to a guy who wears pink tennis shoes.’”

“That was Casey,” the coach added. “He always marched to the tune of a different drummer.”

Idol in town?

Rumors abounded that Idol camera crews were in Mineral Wells two weeks ago.

According to Bridgeman, who keeps up via e-mail and text message, James is “getting geared up” for the voting portion, but spent a few weeks recently in Fort Worth.

“He’s a very deserving young man,” said Bridgeman. “He’s a fine young man, and you can start seeing that in the show. He’s first and foremost a musician – a musician that sings.”

“Whether this works out or not, I’m still going to continue to play music,” James said early on in his Idol journey. “This is what I do [he said of music] this is what I love.”

Debra James is trying to gather the expenses to travel to Hollywood next week. She said her employer, the Decatur Behavioral Unit where she works as a psychiatric nurse, has been accommodating.

“I’ve driven a million miles to see that kid and load and unload equipment and I’m not missing this gig,” she said.

Bridgeman has no doubts about James’ intent to go all the way and do what it takes.

“He is one of the most competitive individuals you’ll ever meet,” he said, which he based mostly on playing Tiger Woods golf on X-Box with James.

“I guarantee you he’s in it to win it,” said Bridgeman.