James Gray is a contemporary version of an old-school traveling folk singer. In the past decade, Gray has toured Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand seeing the world and sharing his beloved songs along the way.

A unique finger style guitarist, with a vocal that is hauntingly beautiful, Gray, often accompanied by a rather droll, humorous stage patter, immerses himself in each and every song with a soulfulness and attack that is infectious and disarming. With a broad grin and good natured chuckle, Gray will often smile into the microphone and state matter of factly that he wants you to remember who he is.

Galvanized by the idea to speak to the human condition through the creation and delivery of song, Gray drew from his deep love of legendary songwriters such as John Prine, Townes Van Zandt, Gillian Welch, to guide him throughout the songwriting process. James believes these songwriters honed the ability to teach the listener about themselves and to open up that part of themselves they didn’t know already existed. Gray firmly holds this to be the ultimate goal of being a songwriter.

James has released three albums, the most recent in 2023 entitled “New Friends That Talk Like Old Friends.” This May 2026, James is set to release his 4th studio album entitled Daydreamer. In 2019 James won himself a spot at The Mariposa Folk Festival through their showcase auditions. James has since been invited to perform at 5 Mariposa folk events, The Northern Lights Festival Boreal, 2 Troubadour Festivals, The Muskoka Music Festival and recently James was a headliner at the Roots North Music Festival.

Gray has recently returned home from touring throughout western Europe and New Zealand. This past festival season James was invited to perform at both the Northern Lights Festival Boreal and the Mariposa Folk Festival where he had the honour of warming up the main stage for Bruce Cockburn.