Lady Balladeer of Texas Nominated Female Vocalist of the Year by Western Music Association and Academy of Western Artists Author Western Wisdom – Educator’s Guide Co-Author – Parker County Legends: Trail Bosses and Wild Horses “Cowboy Jubilee” Western Music Radio Show Host Nominated Disc Jockey of the Year by Academy of Western Artists

Judy James is a singer, guitar player and writer who sings each song with passion for the West and its history.  Judy loves the West and its way of life.  It’s her mission to “Keep Our Western Heritage Alive.”  Producer Rich O’Brien says “she is a tireless ambassador of the Great American West”. 

Judy has a golden voice that helps us not just hear, but feel the emotions of the West. These emotions are heard in her four recordings of Traditional Western Music and most recent recording of a gospel album:

• My God And I - Full album of traditional hymns, Cowboy Music and one of America's favorites, "God Bless America", 12 songs - produced by Rich O'Brien
• Beneath These Western Skies * – Full album of Cowboy Music, 12 songs – Produced by Rich O’Brien
• Spirit of the West – Both traditional and newly composed songs to accompany Western Wisdom Educators’ Guide
• The Gift of the Cowboy -  Full album of Cowboy music, 12 songs – Produced by Rich O’Brien
• Cowboy Jubilee – Full album of Cowboy Music, 12 songs – Produced by Rich O’Brien
  

*The song “Lizzie” was the #4 song in the top ten single releases in 2006 as chosen by the Heartland Public Radio listeners.

These three albums include many traditional Western songs as well as some that Judy has written. Each Judy James live performance encompasses the history and songs of the West.  Audiences find themselves singing a Western tune after concerts and coming away with more knowledge of Western heritage.

Singer of Traditional Western Music
Judy has performed live at the following venues:

• Tombstone Western Music Festival – Tombstone, AZ
• National Cowboy Symposium – Lubbock, Texas
• Doss Heritage & Culture Center – Weatherford, Texas
• National Cowboy Poetry Gathering – Elko, Nevada
• Charlie Russell Museum – Great Falls, Montana
• Festival of the West – Scottsdale, Arizona
• Texas Cowboy Gathering -  Alpine, Texas
• State Fair of Texas – Dallas, Texas
• Charles Goodnight Festival - Claude,Texas
• National  Cowgirl Hall of Fame – Fort Worth, Texas
• Western Music Association – Albuquerque, NM
• Cowboys, Heroes & Friends – Branson, MO
• Folk Alliance Festival – Austin, TX

Along with many Educational Programs in public and private schools, many Cowboy Gatherings, Ranch Rodeos and other performances in cities across the United States.

Author

Additionally, that love of the West inspired Judy to write two books, Western Wisdom; her educators guide for teacher’s and her co-authored book, Parker County Legends: Trail Bosses and Wild Hosses, a true story of Oliver Loving and Charles Goodnight.  As a West Quest Award Winner and Teacher of the Year, Judy continues teaching children about our ranching heritage through her school educational programs.

Western Wisdom Educator’s Guide

Judy has a great passion to continue teaching the era of the men and women who helped settle the West.  Therefore, programs have been developed that are intended to bring life to that period in history.  The Western Wisdom Educator’s Guide was developed to reach the needs of educators to give more information, activities and songs.  A CD with some of the songs from the programs is included with the guide as well as performance tracks without voice. The CD is suitable to use to present as a short program or concert.

Parker County Legends; Trail Bosses and Wild Hosses
by Mary Kemp, Judy James and Pam Tarpley

Co-author of Parker County Legends; Trailbosses and Wild Hosses - the story of Charles Goodnight, Oliver Loving and Bose Ikard. 

Judy co-authored the sections on Goodnight and Loving after doing many new interviews and deep research on the lives of these two men and their families.  Stories from the Goodnight and Loving families, not commonly found, are in this book.