Dan Craig
Dan Craig is a local artist and freelance writer who lives and works in his downtown loft in Morgan Hill .
Mitchell James
A Rising Star
Things were coming together for singer-songwriter Mitchell James heading into 2020 . By all accounts the fourth-generation Gilroy native ’ s star was on the rise . He was booked on the winery circuit and playbills of the major South Valley summer festivals including Mushroom Mardi Gras , Gilroy Garlic Festival and Taste of Morgan Hill . The stage was set for a promising year — until the curtain dropped . On March 16 , shelter in place orders were issued for the COVID-19 pandemic and the county health officer pulled the plug on all public gatherings . For James , it was the fabled “ day the music died .”
“ I was on the calendar at wineries every weekend and had my biggest summer gigs lined up ,” James said . “ All of that went away .”
James remembers loving music his whole life . His parents exposed him to a wide range of music growing up . He started writing songs at age twelve , played guitar in a band in high school , and performed with his uncle ’ s band in bars when he was in college .
“ I wasn ’ t of age ,” he said , referring to the shows in college with his uncle . “ So I got kicked out right after my set .”
James went on to earn a degree in communications from Saint Mary College in Moraga . He embarked on a career in product marketing for hightech companies while moonlighting as a musician in his spare time . As time went by , he continued to play and write songs , but his musical aspirations took a sabbatical .
“ I felt myself not playing music as much as I wanted . Life was busy — music kind of took a backseat . I had to force myself to go play open mics and post music .”
To that end , James started sitting in on the weekly open mic sessions in the music lounge at Grinds Vines and Automobilia ( GVA ) Café in downtown Morgan Hill , which was a hot spot for seasoned and up and coming South Bay musical talent . He credits those sessions with renewing his interest in performing .
“ People were loving it and asking me when I was playing next , which snowballed into me trying to book my own shows .”
GVA owner Renee Carrillo kept the ball rolling when she offered him a Friday night gig at the cafe . It would be a challenge progressing from the threesong limit at open mic to a two-hour performance — and his first time doing a solo show . James accepted the challenge and it turned out to be a breakout debut .
“ I found Mitchell ’ s performance to be so exciting ,” Carrillo said . “ We had floods of calls to the café to get information for his debut night . We had a packed house out the door before and during his performance . Mitchell has the voice that connects with your soul , it instantly sends vibes down your spine with his unique style , his charm and his delivery . He instantly captivated the audience .”
Next up , he landed a solo gig at Miramar Vineyards and over the next several months his calendar filled with winery gigs , one after another , and he became a regular at Bubbles & Brews Bistro in downtown Morgan Hill .
“ I love live [ performing ] so much , the energy that I get , the instant gratification and interacting with the audience .”
With live performances now restricted , James has focused his energies composing and streaming original songs in the studio . For inspiration , James says he finds it everywhere : in paintings , movies and popular culture , personal relationships
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GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN WINTER 2021 gmhtoday . com