James Macklin

James Macklin, of Albuquerque New Mexico, began playing the guitar at the age of 6 after hearing Peter Paul and Mary and James Taylor. After studying folk, blues and rock, James got into jazz his freshman year of high school. James was selected for All State Jazz three years in a row, receiving top honors his third year. He was named Outstanding Guitarist at the Albuquerque Jazz Festival in 2003. The music of Dave Matthews, Bela Fleck, and a chance encounter with Australian guitarist Tommy Emmanuel reignited James' passion for the acoustic guitar. James cites his father, his brother Chris, Tommy Emmanuel, Stephen Bennett, Jerry Douglas, Bryan Sutton, and Alison Krauss and Union Station as major influences.In July of 2005, James joined Lacey Black and Red Rhapsody.Their debut cd, Patient Enough, was released in October of 2005. In Feburary 2007 they followed up with Unsent Letter, which features an instrumental written by Macklin. James recently graduated from Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO as a music education major, where he was also named Outstanding Music Education graduate. He is currently finishing up his student teaching in Albuquerque, New Mexico and is looking forward to his future of teaching and performing.