THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE COUNTRY LEGEND ‘BIG DADDY’ LANCE JAMES.

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE COUNTRY LEGEND

‘BIG DADDY’ LANCE JAMES.

The tenacity and passion of one of South Africa’s greatest country singing legends, here and internationally, LANCE JAMES has been documented and will finally be in print and available to his masses of eager fans early next week.

KEEP IT COUNTRY is a fast moving dramatized biography that tells the story of the life and times of country singing legend ‘Big Daddy’ Lance James…. It gets up close and personal to an incredibly private, humorous and passion driven entertainer, who is no stranger to tragedy.

It’s a roller coaster of high speed chases at Le Mans, blizzards in the Alps, venomous snakes in the audience, wildcat trips to Nashville and exotic contracts in London and Spain.

It’s romantic, funny, loaded with pathos and allows you the reader to take a peep at…. his life….his career….his loves….his cries and his whispers. It’s an insight into the heart and soul of the man…. that nobody has ever seen!

It’s international paparazzi material at its best! 

Lance James - Country Legend!

Lance James is a versatile, bilingual performer who specialises in Corporate functions, Concerts, Dances, Barndances, Weddings, Shopping Centre promotions, and In-store promotions. He is considered as one of the top entertainers ever in South Africa, and has an excellent rapport with his audiences.

Winner of six SABC Sarie Awards, a "Loony's Award" for his contribution to entertainment, plus an Honorary Award from ATKV Centurion, Beeld and Pretoria Afrikaanse Sakekamer for his contribution to Afrikaans music. Lance has appeared in many top Television Shows, is a well established Master of Ceremonies, as well as a well known Radio Broadcaster, currently broadcasting on Radio Today.

As with all my interviews, it was so interesting how this meeting came about and I'm so glad it did! For some time now I've done some work for the same radio station which airs Lance's show Keep It Country, Radio Today Johannesburg, but I'd never had the opportunity of meeting Lance. However, I emailed Lance one day requesting that he played the music of Carly Ritter on his show for me - which he listened to and loved - and I asked him whether he'd mind being interviewed on Pop Speaking. SUCH an exciting moment for me as Lance James has been a legend in country music for over 55 years!!

Lance James is a gentleman through and through and the hour we spent together was so appreciated - I wish there were more men around like this. Definitely a treasured moment that I won't forget. 

You’ve been in showbiz for over 50 years. How has your style changed, you must have seen immense changes in the technology, the market, the way things have been done .. chat about your journey. Has your style changed much? What’s your drive been to keep going?

There have been a lot of changes through the years in terms of music styles - when I started there were a lot of things like big bands, but I don't think my style in either radio or music has changed that much. I have been so blessed to be able to do what I love, I love my music and radio. I've been working as a professional in the business for 57 years. What I do find is that with all the changes in South Africa today there are not a lot of new South African musicians in the country genre, a sign of the changing times I suppose. 

How did you get started?

Well I've always been doing it. But I went to Nashville in the United States in 1975 and heard the term 'country', and heard the music and I realised I'd been doing it for years! And then of course I got started in Springbok Radio in 1954. I remember the exact day - it was 1 May. I saw an advert that Springbok was looking for someone - an effects operator, they called it. I applied and got the job. Radio and music has been good to me, the SABC have been good to me and they remain close to my heart despite all the changes.