Culture
McKinley James on growing up in music and finding his own sound
By: Emily Votaw
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MARIETTA, Ohio (WOUB) – Rising roots artist McKinley James will bring his blend of classic soul and gritty, guitar-driven blues to the 33rd annual River City Blues Festival this weekend, joining a lineup that continues to highlight both established and emerging voices in American roots music.
Still in his 20s, James has quickly built a reputation as a guitarist, singer, and songwriter grounded in blues, R&B, and rock ‘n’ roll traditions while shaping a sound that feels distinctly his own. He has developed that sound through a series of well-received recordings, including 2021’s Still Standing By, produced with Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys, and 2022’s LIVE!, which captures his band’s onstage intensity. That momentum carries into his most recent release, 2024’s Working Class Blues, which continues to highlight the tight musical connection and chemistry at the core of his work.
Many musicians grow up in “musical households,” but for James, that idea takes on added meaning. His father, drummer Jason Smay, is a respected figure in modern roots music, known for his work with artists including vintage-inspired rocker JD McPherson and surf rock band Los Straitjackets. Now a core member of his son’s band, Smay brings decades of musical expertise to the trio.
Ahead of his performance in Marietta, James spoke with WOUB Culture’s Emily Votaw about growing up in that environment, balancing tradition with originality, and the kind of energy audiences can expect when the band takes the stage. Find a transcript of their conversation, edited for length and clarity, below.
Emily Votaw: Your drummer is your dad, Jason Smay, who’s played with lots of performers, including JD McPherson and Los Straitjackets. How did growing up in that kind of musical environment shape you as an artist?
McKinley James: Well, growing up in a musical household, there was always music being played—almost 24/7. And what really made me want to actually play music, not just enjoy it, relates to the fact that my dad was always in touring bands. When the band he was in, or even friends of his—family friends’ groups—would come through town, they would most likely stay at our house. So I was always hanging around musicians. You’d wake up for school and there’d be a couple band guys in the kitchen.
I think just being surrounded by constant music—records and all that—and also the people, being around people who did it every day, it just made me think, ‘yeah, this is what I want to do.’ I don’t think I ever really contemplated, like, ‘okay, what are my options?’ I was just like, ‘I really enjoy this. This is what I want to do, no matter what.’
Your music is rooted in classic blues and soul, but it still sounds fresh and contemporary. As a younger artist, how do you balance honoring tradition while creating something that feels uniquely your own?
James: Well, I really appreciate that comment. That’s something I really strive for because, you know, there’s classic blues and soul and R&B and rock ‘n’ roll, and it still speaks to millions of people today. But with creating new music, there’s so much music going on, and I realized, okay, ‘what are you going to say that’s going to mean something—or even mean something to yourself—but also to someone you want to share your music with?’
And while I love lots of older music, I love new music too. There’s a lot of new music coming out, whether it’s new R&B or even hip-hop, and I kind of find a little bit of everything in new music that I really like. I’ve just kind of pulled little tidbits from things I like into my sound, whether those things come from older or newer music.
But I think one of the big factors, along with having a foot still in the music I grew up listening to, is writing stuff that I’ve experienced. Because you can sing old blues songs and R&B songs and they’d be great, you know, but that’s someone else’s experience. And I think having that sense of, ‘okay, what I’m saying is something that you and I can relate to, but also it’s specifically true to me’, has helped me keep things from sounding too old school.
And another thing would be—and I know I’m speaking slower than my mind is going—but I have people close to me, like my two brothers, my brother’s girlfriend, and even my parents, because they like a lot of new music too, as well as older stuff, and a couple of my friends who mainly listen to new music. I’ll kind of throw them an idea, like, ‘check this out, I’ve kind of got a little something here—what do you think?’
That makes me curious—what are some things you’re listening to that might surprise people?
James: You know, I listen to a lot of stuff—Sade, Alicia Keys, Huey Lewis. I listen to a lot of Eddie Money, Bob Seger… But even, like, I’m trying to think—trying to pin down one person now that’s making music, and I can’t name one off the top of my head. It’s kind of blanking me right now.
No problem—your mention of Huey Lewis was interesting to hear, and also Bob Seger—that’s such a diverse mix with Alicia Keys and Sade. I’m also curious, what are your music listening habits like on the road? Obviously you’re touring with your father—do you guys listen to CDs, or is it mostly streaming? How does that work?
James: It’s mainly streaming, just because I’ve kind of gotten into that habit. We do have CDs and stuff, but through Spotify—and I know there are a lot of downsides to it—the thing I really love, or how I’ve come to use it, is that if I hear something, I can just add it to a playlist.
I’ve got a couple of playlists that are basically a random mix of everything I’ve heard and saved. So we listen to a lot of the same music, but then all of a sudden there’ll be something I heard in a hotel when we were checking in, and it’ll show up in the playlist. It keeps things interesting instead of just putting on one record after another.
That’s what we all grew up doing with CDs and records when I was really little, but being able to jump between songs and playlists keeps it fun—or at least interesting—especially if you’re in the van for 10 hours a day. Podcasts have also helped us break up the time, but having this big mix of random things we’ve saved, or that someone’s mentioned—like, ‘Hey, check this out’—and just throwing it in, keeps it from feeling one-sided or burning you out while you’re listening for a long time.
The River City Blues Festival is known for its dance floor and close, intimate atmosphere, with little separation between performer and audience. What kind of energy do you hope to bring to a setting like that, and how does it differ from a theater show?
James: Well, you know, if people can’t dance to your music—no matter the venue—there’s a problem. Because you want people moving, and once you get people moving, especially if they’re up close—not just, you know, boogieing in their seats in a theater—that just makes the whole room go to 11.
When audiences in Marietta see you later this month at the festival, what can they expect from this current chapter of McKinley James?
James: Well, it’s just three guys on stage giving the audience raw energy. It’s R&B music, but at the same time it leans into that party blues feel, with songs and themes people can relate to. It’s like—let’s have a good time—but it’s also about real life experiences that everyone in the room can connect with.
Hopefully people are excited to dance and get moving, but it’s also, you know, if you’re having a bad day or a good day, or whatever you’re feeling, hopefully we can help you feel a little better.