James Hunter will be at the Islington Assembley Hall on January 27

Colchester-born singer gets the thumbs up from crooner Van Morrison

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There are not many singers from Essex who have managed to tap into the world of R&B like James Hunter.

James, who is a couple of months shy of his 50th birthday, and who, according to Van Morrison, has one of the best voices and is a best kept secret in British R&B, put together his first band in his home town of Colchester in 1984.

He composed his first song Evil Eye that year and released three albums as Howlin Wilf & the Vee-Jays before his solo debut Believe What I Say. His second album hit the shops in 2001 and he came to the attention of Van Morrison when a fan approached the legendary crooner and began regaling him about this great unknown singer hed heard.

Van went to hear James at a gig in Wales and subsequently hired him as a backup singer for touring.

But by 2003, James Hunter was 41 and without a record deal or a gig until GO Records released a James Hunter album.

James said: The sole purpose of the company was getting me recorded. It was extraordinarily nice of them.

His next album finally saw the exposure he need thanks to an array of reviews, the airplay, the award nominations, and loads of gigs.

James Hunter will be at the Islington Assembly Hall in Islington Town Hall, Upper Street, Islington, tomorrow (Friday).

For more information or to buy tickets https://agmp.ticketabc.com/events/james-hunter/