Boney James Biography

Boney James, born James Oppenheim on September 1, 1961, is an American saxophonist, recording artist, songwriter, and record producer. He took up the clarinet at the age of eight and switched to saxophone at ten. James spent his early teen years in New Rochelle, New York, and was influenced by the R&B Motown genre and saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr.

When James was 14, his family moved to Los Angeles, where he joined a fusion band that opened for acts like Flora Purim and the Yellowjackets. He eventually received a degree in history from UCLA and began playing music full-time after graduation. James learned to play keyboards and toured and recorded as a sideman with artists such as Morris Day, The Isley Brothers, Bobby Caldwell, Randy Crawford, and Teena Marie.

In 1986, while on tour with Randy Crawford, James earned his nickname "Boney" due to his physique. In the early 1990s, he met engineer and producer Paul Brown, beginning a 10-year period of collaboration. James released his debut album, Trust, in 1992, which was followed by a string of successful albums, including Seduction, Sweet Thing, and Body Language.

James has collaborated with numerous artists, including Rick Braun, Lalah Hathaway, Raheem DeVaughn, Faith Evans, George Benson, and Angie Stone. He began co-producing his records with Paul Brown in 1997 and assumed the role of sole producer starting with his Grammy-nominated album Pure in 2003. James has released several chart-topping albums, including Shine, Send One Your Love, and The Beat.

James has been nominated for four Grammy Awards and has won a Soul Train Award and three NAACP Image Award nominations. He has sold over four million albums and has accumulated four RIAA Certified Gold Records. In 2009, Billboard magazine named James one of the Top 3 Billboard Contemporary Jazz Artists of the Decade.

In 2024, James became the first artist to notch twenty #1 singles on the Billboard magazine Smooth Jazz Chart. He has continued to release successful albums, including futuresoul, Honestly, Solid, and Detour. James is married to actress and director Lily Mariye and has contributed original scores to her film projects.