| Jessie James Decker | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name: | Jessica Rose James |
| Born: | April 12, 1988 |
| Birth Hometown: | Vicenza, Italy |
| Occupation: | singer |
| Years active: | 2008-present |
Jessica Rose "Jessie" James Decker (born April 12, 1988) is an American country-pop singer-songwriter and reality television personality. Having auditioned for and being rejected by most of the country labels in Nashville, Tennessee at age fifteen, James began working on refining her craft with Carla Wallace of Big Yellow Dog Music. One of her songs attracted the attention of Mercury Records which offered her a recording contract. She released her debut album, Jessie James, in 2009. She starts with her husband Eric Decker in the E! reality show Eric & Jessie: Game On. On April 18, 2014, James released an EP through iTunes on 19 recordings entitled Comin' Home.
Life and Career[]
James was born April 12, 1988 in Vicenza; Italy. She began singing at the age of two, and won her first talent contest in Baker, Louisiana at the age of nine singing "I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart" She told her mother about the show after hearing about it from her grandmother. By then, she had already been writing songs on a plastic guitar and performed at SeaWorld and in Warner Robins in 2000. At age fifteen, she made weekly trips to Nashville to hone her songwriting. She had auditioned and was turned down by almost all the country labels in Nashville, with one label head offering a development deal. At Seventeen, James was introduced to Carla Wallace of Independent label Big Yellow Dog Music, who helped her with her songwriting and singing. One of her songs, "Gypsy Girl" written with two writers from Yellow Dog, had been pitched to American Idol contestant and winner Carrie Underwood. Underwood put it on hold for her record, but nonetheless made it into the hands of record executive David Massey, who brought her to the attention of L.A. Reid. She auditioned for Reid singing her song "My Cowboy", produced by John Rich. James soon inked a contract with Mercury Records. Originally thinking that she would be producing a country record, James was instead told to record a pop album by record executives. She also claimed to have been asked to sound like pop singer Britney Spears. She described the record process as "intense" as the label sent her to work with hip-hop producer who asked her to sound less country despite her desire to make country music. she described herself in an interview "a county girl at heart", having grown up listening to the genre, preferring it to pop.
Her debut album, Jessie James, was released in August 2009, debuting at number twenty-thee on the Billboard200. The music on the album was a fusion between country and pop music, with more emphasis placed on the latter as dictated by her label. The album also featured writing credits from James and seasoned pop songwriter Kara DioGuardi and Mitch Allan among others. The album received a mixed reception from critics, Allmusic received the album positively, but found that despite being marketed as such and featuring some country influenced production, the music on the album was far cry from country music. Slant thought that the album only superficially pulled together influences from pop, country and hip-hop while failing to pander to any of those audiences. It's first single, "Wanted", produced by Allan, had been released in April and peaked at number forty on the Billboard Hot 100. She later performed in the Middle East with singer Kid Rock and comedian Carlos Mencia for US troops stationed oversees.
James began working on her second album, Sweet American Dreams, In 2010, initially planned to be released in late summer. The Album was to be of the same country-pop sound as her debut, with James being given more leeway by Mercury in incorporating country sounds. The first single, "Boys in the Summer", released in June, was a minor country success but failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. Having struggled with accepting her career path as a pop singer, James told her label in the midst of preparations for her album that she did not wan to be a pop artist and wanted to record country music. After negotiations, Massey asked Mark Wright from Show Dog-Universe Music, which had facilitated the country released "Boys in the Summer" in November, to help Mercury/IDJ launch James in the country genre, James then began recording in April 2011. "When You Say My Name" was produced by Wright and released on January 31, 2012. "Military Man" was released on May 22, 2012. She was removed from the Show Dog Universal roster in 2013. James released an extended play, Comin' Home on April 18, 2014.
She stars with her husband Eric Decker in the E! reality show Eric & Jessie: Game On!, and in 2014 will join wrestling icon Steve Austin as co-host of Redneck Island.
Musical style and Influences[]
James co-wrote the majority of the songs on her debut album. The album is of a country pop fusion genre, revealing her taste for not only country music, but pop and soul music as well. The beat for "Blue Jeans" was a recording of James stepping, as she was in the step team in school. Initially, she faced opposition for her soul music-inspired vocal runs when trying to get singed in Nashville. She has listed Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson, Bobble Gentry, Janis Joplin, Shelby Lynne and Shania Twain as influences. Initially, she also stated that she wanted a career similar to those of Gentry and Twain, who were signed to pop labels but found crossover success in both country and pop music.
Personal Life[]
On June 22, 2013, Jessie married Eric Decker, a star wide-receiver for the New York Jets of the National Football League who at the time played for the Denver Broncos. In September 2013. It was announced that the couple was expecting their first child together. In November 2013, it was announced that the couple was expecting a baby girl. James gave birth to their daughter, Vivianne Rose Decker, via C section on March 18, 2014.
Show hosted[]
- Redneck Island (as co-host since season 4/2014-present)
Show appeared[]
Links[]
Her Official Website
Her Official Twitter Page
Her Official Facebook Page
Her Official Tumblr Page
Her Official Instagram Page
Her Official Youtube Page