"I've always been a big believer in tradition," declares James Wesley. "A l… Read Full Bio ↴"I've always been a big believer in tradition," declares James Wesley. "A lot of the old ways are the best ways: family, God, treating people right, doing what you're supposed to do. I think it's time to come back to what's real. That's what country music is about."

James Wesley puts those core values into his music with a whiskey-smooth voice and a timelessly winning way with a great country song. Wesley sings directly to real people about real things that profoundly affect real lives—and from his small-town upbringing to his blue-collar work ethic, he has a deep understanding of what those folks are longing to hear.

"I know there's more people out there than just me who want to hear something that grabs you and makes you go, 'Wow, that's me—that's how I feel, that's my day, that's my family,'" he says. "When you swing a hammer every day, when you're out there doing what you have to do, you learn a lot of compassion for the people that do it day in and day out."

Wesley grew up in tiny Mound Valley, a community of about 200 people in Southeastern Kansas. He first discovered country music via his grandmother's record collection, which included heaping helpings of classic crooners like Marty Robbins, George Jones and Ray Price. "We'd go over there on the weekends," he recalls. "She'd have the console set up and the records stacked up and we'd listen to them as they dropped. Those guys back then, they could sing. I thought, 'That's what I want to do.'"

His mother was the first to notice Wesley's own talent for singing when she overheard him belting out his favorite songs behind his bedroom door. "I thought if I shut my door I blocked everybody out, but evidently I didn't block Mom out," he says with a chuckle. "She heard me and said, 'I'd love to have you sing in church.' So that's what I did." Soon he taught himself to play guitar on an old Stella practice model. "I've got it to this day," he says. "You can still see where I wore down the D, C and G chords on the fretboard."

By his late teens he was singing in local nightclubs and beginning to think about making music his life. "I'd sit in my bedroom and stare out of the window and dream of being out there, getting to see the world," he remembers. His first move in that direction was to Eureka Springs, Arkansas, where he performed in a nightly music and variety show.

There he met his wife, Mindee, with whom he now has two young children—and finally set his sights on Nashville. "I could have stayed in Eureka Springs for the rest of my life, but I just had to chase the dream," he says. "I had to follow my gut." He and Mindee sold their house and almost everything in it, rented a moving truck and headed for Music City. Once there, Wesley took a construction job to make ends meet and began learning the ropes of the Nashville music business. He met hit songwriter Rodney Clawson and producer Dan Frizsell, and the three began recording together.

Their work caught the attention of Broken Bow Records, which signed Wesley in December and quickly released the very first song on his original demo, "Jackson Hole," as his debut single. The tune (penned by Clawson and Monty Criswell) immediately began racing up the charts, driven by listeners who loved its vivid story of fleeting love in a snowy setting. "Jackson Hole" offered fans an upfront introduction to the more vulnerable aspects of Wesley's personality. "Growing up with three sisters, I've got a sensitive side too," he says with a smile. "But I'm proud that I have that side, that I'm not callous. The only thing calloused about me is my hands."

The breakout success of "Jackson Hole" instantly validated the enormous risk Wesley took in uprooting his family from Eureka Springs for an uncertain future in Nashville was worth it. "My family has seen all the ups and downs," he says. "There's been a lot of hard work. There's been times it wasn't easy, and they've been there the whole time. They're great." It also meant that Wesley's days of construction work were over. "Thank God I get to put the hammer down, at least for a while," he says with a laugh. "It's nice to be able to do what I love to do."

James Wesley hopes to do what he loves to do for a long time to come. "I want to be in it for the long haul," he says. "I want to do those songs that everybody wants to hear, and that everybody can feel. I want to be the guy who tells the stories, and tells it like it is."

Running
James Wesley Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴

This old truck has seen better days
The windshield's cracked and it's pealing paint
It's just like me in a lot of ways
But still running

One august night you changed our plans
And this ole truck was my moving van
Now I'm a million miles from being your man

And still running

I'll be running
Pushing that red line
Knowing your memory's a minute behind
And I'll be running
As far as I can go
'Til I run out of time or run out of road
I'll be running

This old heart might miss a beat
When you catch up to me in my dreams
But as soon as I'm up, put boots on my feet
I'm running

I'll be running
Pushing that red line
Knowing your memory's a minute behind
And I'll be running
As far as I can go
'Til I run out of time or run out of road
I'll be running

The farther I get the more I regret
Not turning this truck around
But I gotta keep fighting on through the night
Keep putting this pedal down
'Cause I know
Yeah I know

I'll be running
Pushing that red line
Knowing your memory's a minute behind
And I'll be running
As far as I can go

'Til I run out of time or run out of road
I'll be running

Overall Meaning

In the song "Running" by James Wesley, the lyrics depict a metaphorical connection between the singer and his old truck. The worn-out condition of the truck reflects the struggles and hardships faced by the singer himself. Both the truck and the singer have seen better days, with visible signs of wear and tear, yet they are still running, symbolizing resilience and the will to keep going despite difficulties.

The mention of an August night where plans were changed and the truck served as a moving van implies a significant event that led to a separation or distance between the singer and a loved one. The singer acknowledges that he is a "million miles from being your man," indicating a sense of loss, regret, and longing for the past. Despite this distance, the singer continues to run, both literally and figuratively.

The chorus emphasizes the theme of running, with the singer pushing the limits and racing against time and memories. The use of the metaphorical "red line" symbolizes the intense effort and emotional strain the singer puts into moving forward, even when haunted by memories of a lost love. The repetition of the phrase "I'll be running" reinforces the determination and persistence of the singer in his journey.

As the singer reflects on the past and contemplates the regrets of not turning back, he acknowledges the ongoing struggle to keep moving forward. The decision to keep fighting and continue driving through the night represents the internal conflict between holding on to the past and embracing the unknown future. Despite the challenges and uncertainties, the singer chooses to keep running, driven by the desire to keep moving forward.

Overall, the lyrics of "Running" by James Wesley capture the emotional turmoil of a journey filled with regrets, memories, and the constant push to move forward. The singer's metaphorical connection to his old truck and the recurring theme of running highlight themes of resilience, determination, and the relentless pursuit of closure and resolution in the face of heartbreak and loss.

Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Zac Wrixon, James Wesley Prosser, Troy Marcum Stewart

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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