Dick James

James was born on 12 December 1920 in the East End of London, to Polish Jewish immigrants. His father was a kosher butcher.

Early singing career

James sang with North London dance bands in his early teens, and was a regular vocalist at the Cricklewood Palais by the age of seventeen. He joined the Henry Hall band and made his first radio broadcast in 1940, but his career was interrupted in 1942 by World War II when he joined the army. After the war he continued to sing with leading bands, including Geraldo's. James was an original member of The Stargazers, a popular early 1950s vocal group. In the 1950s he often appeared in the top ten Melody Maker vocal charts alongside the likes of Dickie Valentine and Frank Holder.

He was the singer of the theme songs of The Adventures of Robin Hood and The Buccaneers, television series produced in England in the 1950s.

Later life and death

James signed Earl Okin in 1965, but as the singer was preoccupied with his studies at university, James sought other artistes. He signed Elton John (then known as Reginald Dwight) and his lyricist Bernie Taupin as untried unknowns in 1967 after his son, Stephen, who had been working with his father since 1963, found Dwight using their recording studios late at night without permission. (This rumour may actually come from the time when some of Dick James' employees used the studio over the weekend without permission. Dick found out and they thought that they would be sacked. Instead, Dick demanded to hear what they had recorded, in case anything might be commercial). Stephen, who had started the recording studios and opened a record production company called This Productions, formed DJM Records in 1969.

All of John's releases up to 1976 were issued on the DJM record label. The label also carried Jasper Carrott, RAH Band, Danny Kirwan, and John Inman.

John formed his own Rocket label in 1973, and in 1982 was involved in a court case with James about royalties.

In June 1985, the British music magazine NME reported that John was suing James over the rights to his earlier material – a case which John lost.

James died in London of a heart attack on 1 February 1986, at the age of 65.

Dick James Music was acquired by PolyGram which was, in turn, bought by Universal Music Group. The Dick James catalog is currently part of Universal Music Publishing Group.