About Pat James And The Whole Truth
Pat James, a singer-songwriter from Aurora, ON, crafts an ear-catching blend of Roots-Rock
and Americana, combining the storytelling of Bruce Springsteen with the soulful edge of Chris Stapleton. The importance of storytelling in his music is immediately evident. As you listen, you start to hear his other influences—Tom Petty, John Mayer, and Bon Jovi, to name a few.
Pat James always knew he wanted to be a songwriter, even before he fully understood what
that meant. Growing up in the small town of Aurora, he would walk around his family’s home above their pizza restaurant, carrying a notebook filled with lyrics from his favorite songs. The first song he ever attempted was a heart-wrenching ballad about his unrequited love for a pretty girl named Jesse—he was only 9 years old. Over the years, Pat went on to form several bands, most notably The Road Heavy, which won Rock 95’s Local & Loud 2015. The band spent the following years touring with acts like The Tea Party and Gilby Clarke (of Guns N’ Roses), and opened for the Headstones and Scott Weiland (of Stone Temple Pilots).
On March 29, 2023, while watching Bruce Springsteen perform a powerful three-hour concert in Detroit, the idea for Pat James and the Whole Truth (PJWT) was born. Since then, Pat has worked tirelessly to write, rehearse, and arrange songs for his first full-length album. After an emotional year of highs and lows, growing pains with the band, and heartbreaking family losses, a collection of 12 songs emerged. They were recorded in October 2024 over a six-day period at Union Sound in Toronto with producer Dan Brodbeck.
The album, I’d Like To Leave, is now streaming everywhere.
ABOUT THE ALBUM: I’d Like To Leave – release date: October 25, 2025
“The title was born of an observation made by my band manager, she took a candid photo of me at a social gathering and said my expression screamed “I’d Like To Leave” and so it was born. The truth is, I almost always want to leave wherever I am, except for when I am at home, the studio or on stage.
Being a songwriter in multiple bands over the years I wound up with a collection of half finished songs that never fit the vibe of past projects. This happens to songwriters who don’t always have the final say in the “band” dynamic, and that is why this project was born. I like to tell stories in my music and I don’t want to have to fit a genre or a sound. Pat James And The Whole Truth allows me to freely express myself however I choose.
The process is simple really. I write the songs and bring them in for arrangement with my drummer who gives them, in some cases, a completely different life than where I’d thought they would go. I am always amazed at how exciting it can be to bring songs to life.
What I find amazing about this album is that it feels cohesive even though some of the songs were completed over 10 years ago and others as recently as the year we recorded the album. Because of that fact I feel it takes the listener along with me on a journey through my life, musically. ”
– Pat James
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For any more information on the artist, email pr@fromthestrait.com
