White Satellite

Hey all! Welcome!



All songs written and performed by James M. Stellhorn ©2000-2010, ASCAP.



Instrumental and vocal pop and rock tunes from James's studio in the desert. He prefers electric and acoustic guitars, as well as wind and various stringed instruments as solo instruments over a catchy rhythmic frame. Supported by solid bass lines, his songs incorporate just enough facets in the arrangements to keep the listener coming back for more.



James performs all instruments* and produces his own material. He has always favored the guitar and bass guitar,
instruments he originally took up and performed in many bands in the Phoenix-metro area, as well as the San Francisco Bay Area. He has also traveled extensively, touring cities in California and the Southwestern U.S.



Originally a rock performer starting out in clubs around the Arizona State University campus in Tempe, James's early pop musical influences were The Beatles, The Who, and David Bowie. Growing up he was also influenced by his father who held a Ph.D in Music, played piano and organ, and taught the acoustics of music and sound, as well as the Humanities and Fine Arts at Arizona State. As a child James spent many hours listening to such classical composers as J.S. Bach, G.F. Handel, Mozart, and Tchaikovsky. Later on at ASU he studied classical guitar, music theory, and music history, graduating with his Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Management. Some of his songs have been featured in regular rotation on local radio stations, with his song "Dead 'n Gone" -- recorded by one of his bands 'Captain Tripps' -- appearing on KDKB's Arizona Sounds album. As he performed rock around Phoenix he also became involved with some excellent local jazz musicians who exposed him to the music of bass players Stanley Clarke and Jaco Pastorius, and such jazz-fusion musicians as Al DiMeola and John McLaughlin.



With these diverse musical influences, and because he ultimately remains true to his rock and pop roots, James's songwriting incorporates the catchiness and steadiness of rock and pop, but is uniquely mixed with just enough differing chordal inversions, bass lines and rhythms to set the music aside from what is usually perceived as mainstream.



This site is dedicated to a dear friend and a great drummer, Kevin James Kennedy, and thanks to good friend and Phoenix radio personality Liz Boyle for all her support. Check Liz out on Radio Free Phoenix.



*Lead guitar on Dream Goes On performed by Eric D. Schlotthauer



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