Biografia

James LaBrie nasceu em Penetanguishene, Ontario, Canadá e começou a cantar e tocar bateria aos 5 anos de idade. Na sua adolescência, LaBrie foi membro de inúmeras bandas como vocalista e/ou baterista, e em 1981, já com 18 anos, ele se mudou para Toronto para seguir seu objetivo musical. Atualmente, ainda mora em Toronto,com sua esposa Karen, filha Chloe, e filho Chance.

Após muito tempo com diferentes bandas, se tornou vocalista da grande banda de rock Winter Rose, que lançou um álbum homônimo em 1987.

Em 1991 ele ficou sabendo que uma banda americana de metal progressivo relativamente desconhecida chamada Dream Theater estava procurando um vocalista, então mandou uma fita e em pouco tempo voou para Nova Iorque para uma audição completa. O teste foi bem, e ele foi escolhido entre outros 200 esperançosos para atuar na posição de vocalista definitivo na banda.

Tendo dois “John’s” (Myung and Petrucci) na banda, e com outro Kevin na banda LaBrie deixou seu primeiro nome e adotou o nome artístico James LaBrie.

Em 1993, ele foi a primeira opção considerada para substituir o vocalista do Iron Maiden Bruce Dickinson, assim como foi também considerado para substituir Rob Halford no Judas Priest. (Dream Theater went on to record Deep Purple’s “Perfect Strangers” at the BBC radio studios with Bruce Dickinson, as well as perform an Iron Maiden medley live with Bruce in Los Angeles.) James has since had a significant impact on the vocal melodies on each Dream Theater album, but continues to have little input into the musical side of Dream Theater. To date he has written lyrics for at least one song on each album (excluding Images and Words) Dream Theater has released with him in the band.

On December 29, 1994, while vacationing in Cuba, LaBrie suffered a severe case of food poisoning and while vomiting, ruptured his vocal cords. He saw three throat specialists who all said there was nothing they could do for him and the only thing he could do was rest his voice as much as possible. However, on January 12, 1995, and against doctor’s orders, he was on the “Awake” tour in Japan with his voice far from normal. James has said he didn’t feel vocally “normal” until at least 1997.

His musical inspiration comes from many different genres, including such artists as Metallica, Ludwig van Beethoven, Nat King Cole, Queen and Sting, whose inspiration, according to LaBrie, is shown on the Dream Theater’s album, “Octavarium”.

Throughout his career with Dream Theater, he has lent his voice to many other artists’ records as well as tribute albums to some influential artists. He has appeared on many Trent Gardner releases (including Leonardo: The Absolute Man and Explorer’s Club), as well as appearing on albums by such artists as Ayreon (The Human Equation, released 2004), Shadow Gallery, Tim Donohue and Frameshift.

With Matt Guillory and Mike Mangini, LaBrie has released three solo albums under various names (Mullmuzzler, James LaBrie’s Mullmuzzler, and simply James LaBrie). His latest, Elements of Persuasion, was released in March, 2005. A fourth solo album is widely rumored to be in the works.
Since 2004, LaBrie has been working with the True Symphonic Rockestra project, along with Thomas Dewald, Vladimir Grishko, Dirk Ulrich, Christopher Jesidero, Sandro Martinez, Paul Mayland, Marvin Philippi, and Igor Marin. Their 2006 album, TSR, has been finished since early July, with Brainworx and Marinsound working on a release.

LaBrie is also a featured vocalist on Henning Pauly’s “Babysteps” project released in 2006, LaBrie plays the role of the arrogant doctor.

James has said in many older interviews that he is Christian, and actively practices the religion. However, more recent interviews, along with some of his lyrics (including “Undecided” on Elements of Persuasion) imply a more spiritual and deist perspective, separate from any form of organised religion.


in: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_LaBrie