Make Music Madison

Stephen James

Stephen James is a singer-songwriter from the Madison, WI area. Stephen has performed at various engagements in Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota. His music would best be classified as folk, though he draws influence from many genres, including country and southern rock. In St. Peter, MN, Stephen had his first major performance at the Young John Denver Fest on June 13, 2025. There, he played a variety of covers to a crowd of 5,000, serving as an opener for a John Denver tribute band. Stephen began writing music in early 2020, completing his first song in April of that year, during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, Stephen has composed a wide variety of music, drawing from his own life experiences with a passion for storytelling. Stephen's first album, "Purple Skies," released to streaming services on March 27, 2026. Stephen played every instrument and wrote all the songs on the album, and hopes to release more music soon.