James Stroud
Encyclopedia
James Stroud is an American musician and record producer who works in pop
, rock
, and country music
. In the 1990s he was the president of Giant Records (a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Records
) and held several credits as a session drummer. He later worked for DreamWorks Records
Nashville and in 2008 founded his own label, Stroudavarious Records
.
as one of five children. He began playing drums at local bar bands in Texas
and Louisiana, He Worked with bands such as the The Hollies
& Paul Davis
in the 1960s, Him & Davis also took songwriting duties for Mississippi based Malaco Records
which was an R&B Based label, He played produced for many acts throughout the 60's & 70's he also started playing Drums & Synthesizer with Paul Davis
, taking influences from rock and R&B artists. In the early 1980s he began playing for Eddie Rabbitt
. From there, Stroud went on to become a prolific session drummer in Nashville, Tennessee
, backing Ronnie Milsap
, K.T. Oslin and others. He was also a member of the Marshall Tucker Band
.
In the late 1980s, Stroud founded The Writers' Group, a publishing company. He also took up producing, and was named in 1989 by the Academy of Country Music
as Producer of the Year. When Warner Bros. Records
founded the Giant Records branch, Stroud became president of the new label, and produced several of its acts, including Carlene Carter
, Tracy Lawrence
, Daryle Singletary
and Clay Walker
. At the same time, he produced acts not signed to the label as well. Between 1993 and 1994, twenty-one singles produced by Stroud reached the top of the country charts.
After Giant Records closed in 2000, Stroud moved to DreamWorks Records
Nashville, where he worked as a producer for several artists such as Darryl Worley
. After the label was closed in 2005, Stroud joined Universal Music Group
(DreamWorks' parent company) and served as co-CEO alongside Luke Lewis until 2007. In July 2008, he founded a new label, Stroudavarious Records
, to which he signed Worley as the flagship artist.
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
, rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, and country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
. In the 1990s he was the president of Giant Records (a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
) and held several credits as a session drummer. He later worked for DreamWorks Records
DreamWorks Records
DreamWorks Records was an American record label. Founded in 1996 by David Geffen, Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg as a subsidiary of DreamWorks SKG, the label operated until 2005 when it was shut down...
Nashville and in 2008 founded his own label, Stroudavarious Records
Stroudavarious Records
R&J Records is an American independent record label specializing in country music. It was founded in May 2011 by James Stroud and Rick Carter. Stroud is a record producer and former president of Giant Records and DreamWorks Records. In 2008, Stroud had launched Stroudavarious Records and signed...
.
Biography
Stroud was born in LouisianaLouisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
as one of five children. He began playing drums at local bar bands in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and Louisiana, He Worked with bands such as the The Hollies
The Hollies
The Hollies are an English pop and rock group, formed in Manchester in the early 1960s, though most of the band members are from throughout East Lancashire. Known for their distinctive vocal harmony style, they became one of the leading British groups of the 1960s and 1970s...
& Paul Davis
Paul Davis (singer)
Paul Lavon Davis was an American singer and songwriter, best known for his radio hits and solo career which started worldwide in 1970. His career encompassed soul, country and pop music...
in the 1960s, Him & Davis also took songwriting duties for Mississippi based Malaco Records
Malaco Records
Malaco Records is an independent record label based in Jackson, Mississippi. Malaco is and has been the home of various major soul, blues and gospel acts, such as Johnnie Taylor, Bobby Bland, ZZ Hill, Denise LaSalle, Benny Latimore, Dorothy Moore, Little Milton, Shirley Brown, Marvin Sease, and the...
which was an R&B Based label, He played produced for many acts throughout the 60's & 70's he also started playing Drums & Synthesizer with Paul Davis
Paul Davis (singer)
Paul Lavon Davis was an American singer and songwriter, best known for his radio hits and solo career which started worldwide in 1970. His career encompassed soul, country and pop music...
, taking influences from rock and R&B artists. In the early 1980s he began playing for Eddie Rabbitt
Eddie Rabbitt
Edward Thomas "Eddie" Rabbitt was an American singer-songwriter and musician. His career began as a songwriter in the late 1960s, springboarding to a recording career after composing hits such as "Kentucky Rain" for Elvis Presley in 1970 and "Pure Love" for Ronnie Milsap in 1974...
. From there, Stroud went on to become a prolific session drummer in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, backing Ronnie Milsap
Ronnie Milsap
Ronnie Lee Milsap is an American country music singer and pianist. He was one of country’s most popular and influential performers of the 1970s and 1980s...
, K.T. Oslin and others. He was also a member of the Marshall Tucker Band
Marshall Tucker Band
The Marshall Tucker Band is an American Southern rock band originally from Spartanburg, South Carolina. The band's blend of rock, rhythm and blues, jazz, country, and gospel helped establish the Southern rock genre in the early 1970s...
.
In the late 1980s, Stroud founded The Writers' Group, a publishing company. He also took up producing, and was named in 1989 by the Academy of Country Music
Academy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...
as Producer of the Year. When Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
founded the Giant Records branch, Stroud became president of the new label, and produced several of its acts, including Carlene Carter
Carlene Carter
Carlene Carter is an American country singer and songwriter. She is the daughter of June Carter and her first husband, Carl Smith....
, Tracy Lawrence
Tracy Lawrence
Tracy Lawrence is an American country music artist. He started at a country music restaurant called "Live At Libby's" where owner Libby Knight would help local talent find their way into country music...
, Daryle Singletary
Daryle Singletary
Daryle Bruce Singletary is an American country music singer. Between 1995 and 1998, he recorded for Giant Records, for which he released three studio albums: Daryle Singletary in 1995, All Because of You in 1996 and Ain't It the Truth in 1998...
and Clay Walker
Clay Walker
Ernest Clayton "Clay" Walker Jr. is an American country music artist. He made his debut in 1993 with the single "What's It to You," which reached Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts, as did its follow-up, 1994's "Live Until I Die." Both singles were included on...
. At the same time, he produced acts not signed to the label as well. Between 1993 and 1994, twenty-one singles produced by Stroud reached the top of the country charts.
After Giant Records closed in 2000, Stroud moved to DreamWorks Records
DreamWorks Records
DreamWorks Records was an American record label. Founded in 1996 by David Geffen, Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg as a subsidiary of DreamWorks SKG, the label operated until 2005 when it was shut down...
Nashville, where he worked as a producer for several artists such as Darryl Worley
Darryl Worley
Darryl Wade Worley is an American country music artist. Signed to DreamWorks Records Nashville in 2000, Worley released four albums for the label: Hard Rain Don't Last , I Miss My Friend , Have You Forgotten? , and Darryl Worley in 2004...
. After the label was closed in 2005, Stroud joined Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
(DreamWorks' parent company) and served as co-CEO alongside Luke Lewis until 2007. In July 2008, he founded a new label, Stroudavarious Records
Stroudavarious Records
R&J Records is an American independent record label specializing in country music. It was founded in May 2011 by James Stroud and Rick Carter. Stroud is a record producer and former president of Giant Records and DreamWorks Records. In 2008, Stroud had launched Stroudavarious Records and signed...
, to which he signed Worley as the flagship artist.