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Guitarist/Singer/Songwriter/Producer James Henley Patke started playing in the Chicago music scene in 1988 and performed for over ten years in his bands Highway Child and The Raging Hipsters. Prior to this, James played in Texas for a couple of years with the band Art Marvel appearing at colleges and local clubs between Austin and Dallas while attending school. Over the years James has appeared with notable acts like Big Head Todd and the Monsters, The Alarm, Hoodoo Gurus, Steppenwolf, Wishbone Ash, Quiet Riot, Drivin' n' Cryin', Smashing Pumpkins, Dave Mason, Adrian Belew, and Buddy Guy. James has entertained many with his diversity of musical genre and talent. Growing up in the northern Chicago suburbs of Lake Forest, James Henley started piano lessons at age 5 and guitar at age 6. It's no wonder James Henley is a musician with many family musical influences including the pioneer of jazz drummer, Gene Krupa from his father’s side of the family. James studied two years under internationally known guitarist, Michael Angelo Batio, who has won many accolades for the best guitar shredder and is the inventor of the twin neck right and left handed guitar. James Henley’s parents have a music background.Henley experienced a creative musical environment that molded his current approach to playing and songwriting. "I started writing music in high school and stuck with it. It’s now a cathartic process for me and essential for a balanced life." James Henley's songwriting has a unique blend of structure and free form jams that gives the songs depth but at the same time delivering intense grooves. "I feel that Richard Thompson is my model songwriter. Even though my music is far from Richard's genre, the artistic atmosphere with imaginative lyrics in his songs is very inspirational to me. I try to translate this type of communication in my music. I strive for creative sound containing technical musical and lyrical elements within an experimental/progressive pop structure that gets listeners excited."Not only a good songwriter, James Henley's guitar playing features several influences to make up a unique energetic style. "I grew up listening to Hendrix, Peter Gabriel, Yes,Clapton, Jeff Beck, Duane Allman, Johnny Winter and Santana merging their playing styles to form a uniform, blended sound." James has an energy level with his playing that packs a powerful punch behind each note.James continued to play many Chicago clubs after earning his MBA then moved to Atlanta in 1999 and established The James Henley Band in 2002 WHO says you can never have enough equipment?? James can write a book on his never ending quest to find that perfect acoustic or electric guitar not to mention his favorite sounding amp, a Fender Vintage Deluxe Reverb pre-1973 Blackface moded! GUITARS: 1979 CBS Fender Stratocaster, 1987 Fender American standard Telecaster, 2005 Tom Anderson Cobra and a 2004 PRS McCarty, 2006 Gibson ES-335, 2006 John Meyor Martin Acoustic, 2005 Takimine Professional Natural Acoustic, 1989 Guild acoustic, 2005 Dobro, AMPS: 1 Fender Vintage Orginal 1966 Super Reverb, 1 Fender Vintage Deluxe Reverb Silverface amps (moded to Blackface), Fender bass amp, Dean Markley MB60 amp, Fender Tweed Blues Deluxe amp, STUDIO Equipment: Gretsch drums, KZildjian high hat and fast crash, Zildjian ride and fast crash cymbals, cowbell, Korg Trtiton Extreme Keyboards. 6 Mackey speakers, complete with 400Watt Sub, PA, Line 6 Pod XT pro, 2 Ibanez TS9/808 modified by Analogman.com Tube Screamers, Radial Engineering ToneBone pedal. Many other guitar pedals. Presonus Inspire 1394 for recording live, Pro studio set up including Mackie 1604VLZ Pro line mixer, dbx pro 215 equalizer, Alesis quadraverb sound effects processor, RECORDING MIKES: Shure SM81 and SM57 mics, Blueberry by Blue voice recording mics, Rode NTK/K2, NT4 Mics., and with an ever expanding mic locker and pro-tools plug-ins etc………………………………………………..