James Durbin
James Durbin (born January 6, 1989) is an American singer from Santa Cruz, … Read Full Bio ↴James Durbin (born January 6, 1989) is an American singer from Santa Cruz, California. Durbin was a Top 4 finalist on the tenth season of American Idol. He was eliminated on Thursday, May 12th, 2011. The Love Me Bad Songfacts reports that his pitch-perfect voice and hard rocker's attitude made him one of the most popular contestants of the series. After finishing fourth, he signed to Wind-Up Records (Evanescence, Seether). Love Me Bad, Durbin's first single released from his debut solo album, Memories of a Beautiful Disaster, was released online on October 19, 2011.
Durbin was born to Judy Settle-Durbin. His father Willy Durbin, a musician, died of drug overdose when he was 9. He was diagnosed with Tourette's and Asperger's syndrome shortly after his father died. He has facial tics, some social awkwardness, and restricted interests.
He has a fiancée, Heidi whom he met in a bar and considered his 'rock'. They have a son together named Hunter.
In 2006, he performed in Santa Cruz-based children's theater group called Kids on Broadway and played the lead role in "Beauty and the Beast" and "Singin' in the Rain", as well as "West Side Story" in a production by All About Theatre, a Santa Cruz community theatre company. He was also the lead singer in a metal band called The Hollywood Scars. He said he has also done country music before.
James was invited to record and mix his amazing vocal talent with legendary producer/engineer/artist Alan Parsons (of The Alan Parsons Project/Beatles/Pink Floyd fame). Along with professional vocalist PJ Olsson, the group recorded James' vocals on Alan Parsons' song "We Play The Game," a collaboration with The Crystal Method.
Then only 19, James' drive, power, and musical insight were all too evident as he and Alan worked on recording a lead vocal and backing vocals on the Alan Parsons track from A Valid Path.
Idol Performances:
** Top 24: Personal Choice - You've Got Another Thing Comin' (Judas Priest)
** Top 13: Personal Idol - Maybe I'm Amazed (Paul McCartney)
** Top 12: Year You Were Born - I'll Be There for You (Bon Jovi)
** Top 11: Motown - Living for the City (Stevie Wonder)
** Top 11 Redux: Elton John - Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting) [[artist]Elton John]
** Top 9: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame - While My Guitar Gently Weeps (The Beatles)
** Top 8: Songs from the Movies - Heavy Metal (Sammy Hagar)
** Top 7: Songs from the 21st Century - Uprising (Muse)
** Top 6: Carole King - Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (The Shirelles)
** Top 5: Songs from Then & Now: Closer to the Edge (30 Seconds to Mars) / Without You (Bandfinger)
** Top 4: Songs That Inspire / Leiber & Stoller Songbook: Don't Stop Believin' (Journey) / Love Potion No. 9 (The Clovers)
In 2016 Durbin and Alex Grossi of Quiet Riot worked on an album project "Maps to the Hollywood Scars". Volume 1 was released as a 5-song EP in February 2017. In March 2017, Durbin joined Quiet Riot, as their new lead singer. The band reported that their upcoming album, 'Road Rage' would be re-recorded prior to its release to feature Durbin on lead vocals. After recording a follow-up album, Durbin quit the band in September 2019. The album, 'Hollywood Cowboys', was released on November 8, 2019. In October 2020, Durbin revealed he had signed with Frontiers Records and was working on a "pure heavy metal" album. The Beast Awakens was released on February 12, 2021 under the Durbin moniker. Alongside Durbin, who performs lead vocals and rhythm guitar, the album also features drummer Mike Vanderhule and bassist Barry Sparks. In 2022, Durbin has joined forces with STRYPER members Robert Sweet and Perry Richardson (bass; also ex-FIREHOUSE) and RIOT guitarist Mike Flyntz in a new project called CLEANBREAK.
Durbin was born to Judy Settle-Durbin. His father Willy Durbin, a musician, died of drug overdose when he was 9. He was diagnosed with Tourette's and Asperger's syndrome shortly after his father died. He has facial tics, some social awkwardness, and restricted interests.
He has a fiancée, Heidi whom he met in a bar and considered his 'rock'. They have a son together named Hunter.
In 2006, he performed in Santa Cruz-based children's theater group called Kids on Broadway and played the lead role in "Beauty and the Beast" and "Singin' in the Rain", as well as "West Side Story" in a production by All About Theatre, a Santa Cruz community theatre company. He was also the lead singer in a metal band called The Hollywood Scars. He said he has also done country music before.
James was invited to record and mix his amazing vocal talent with legendary producer/engineer/artist Alan Parsons (of The Alan Parsons Project/Beatles/Pink Floyd fame). Along with professional vocalist PJ Olsson, the group recorded James' vocals on Alan Parsons' song "We Play The Game," a collaboration with The Crystal Method.
Then only 19, James' drive, power, and musical insight were all too evident as he and Alan worked on recording a lead vocal and backing vocals on the Alan Parsons track from A Valid Path.
Idol Performances:
** Top 24: Personal Choice - You've Got Another Thing Comin' (Judas Priest)
** Top 13: Personal Idol - Maybe I'm Amazed (Paul McCartney)
** Top 12: Year You Were Born - I'll Be There for You (Bon Jovi)
** Top 11: Motown - Living for the City (Stevie Wonder)
** Top 11 Redux: Elton John - Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting) [[artist]Elton John]
** Top 9: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame - While My Guitar Gently Weeps (The Beatles)
** Top 8: Songs from the Movies - Heavy Metal (Sammy Hagar)
** Top 7: Songs from the 21st Century - Uprising (Muse)
** Top 6: Carole King - Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (The Shirelles)
** Top 5: Songs from Then & Now: Closer to the Edge (30 Seconds to Mars) / Without You (Bandfinger)
** Top 4: Songs That Inspire / Leiber & Stoller Songbook: Don't Stop Believin' (Journey) / Love Potion No. 9 (The Clovers)
In 2016 Durbin and Alex Grossi of Quiet Riot worked on an album project "Maps to the Hollywood Scars". Volume 1 was released as a 5-song EP in February 2017. In March 2017, Durbin joined Quiet Riot, as their new lead singer. The band reported that their upcoming album, 'Road Rage' would be re-recorded prior to its release to feature Durbin on lead vocals. After recording a follow-up album, Durbin quit the band in September 2019. The album, 'Hollywood Cowboys', was released on November 8, 2019. In October 2020, Durbin revealed he had signed with Frontiers Records and was working on a "pure heavy metal" album. The Beast Awakens was released on February 12, 2021 under the Durbin moniker. Alongside Durbin, who performs lead vocals and rhythm guitar, the album also features drummer Mike Vanderhule and bassist Barry Sparks. In 2022, Durbin has joined forces with STRYPER members Robert Sweet and Perry Richardson (bass; also ex-FIREHOUSE) and RIOT guitarist Mike Flyntz in a new project called CLEANBREAK.
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James Durbin Lyrics
All I Want You showed me love And I wasn't quite sure just what…
Celebrate You have to search high enough What you couldn't never find…
Children Under the Sun Taking a bus to the boardwalk Flying higher than the North…
Crawling Home It's been seven months out on the road The bottom of…
Deeper I lost myself again Like the dead of the night, the…
Everything Burns She sits in a corner Singing herself to sleep Wrapped in all…
Fool for You She flows like a butterfly and sings like a bee And…
Forget It Waking up just to feel comatose Walking alone along an endle…
Good Riddance Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road Time grabs…
Higher Than Heaven What was love? Something that I just dreamed of Somewhere in…
I'll Be There for You I guess this time you're really leaving I heard your suitcas…
Issues If you were to say to me, if you ask…
Live Right Now ...Believe in something Life's simple Burn out,fly high D…
Louder Than a Loaded Gun You left that key You left that key on the table You…
Love In Ruins I see your eyes You know they never change Oh, the way…
Love Me Bad A cigarette fills an empty room Smell of heartbreaks and che…
May Now, May and I were two children just swimming in…
Maybe I Maybe I'm amazed at the way you love me all…
My Only Regret My only one regret, is I didn′t know you when…
Outcast Not easy enough The way I am makes it tough Come get…
Outcast ft Mick Mars Not easy enough The way I am makes it tough Come get…
Parachute Hangin' like a broken star in the sky No reason to…
Real Love You're feeling old and fattened like a soldier Floating on a…
Right Behind You Something so familiar It's like I met you somewhere before, …
Screaming My parents said it wouldn't last forever And I'm still waiti…
Stand Up Tonight, I'm okay When the lights go down And I hit the…
Time Of Your Life Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road Time grabs…
Uprising Paranoia is in bloom, The PR, transmissions will resume They…
While My Guitar Gently Weeps I look at you all see the love there that's…
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow Tonight you're mine completely, You give your love so sweet…
You She flows like a butterfly and sings like a bee And…
You Can't Believe Too black, too white, too left, too right Too thin, too…
You're Not Alone I knew your story far too well And inside and on…