Casey James, a Closer Look at the American Idol Finalist and Country Star [VIDEO]

Casey Everett James is a singer, songwriter and guitarist that hails from Fort Worth, Texas. James was the third-place finalist on the ninth season of American Idol. Although he struggled just to survive according to his mother Debra "Bybee" James, mom admits that he had a bad reaction to his whooping cough vaccine when he was an infant, his family feared brain damage. According to his mother, he turned out to be all right and shen knew was going to be musically inclined, because little Casey started humming long before he could ever talk.

James started playing guitar at age 13 and before his 14th birthday, the blonde hair beauty was on stage and playing his guitar. James has played acoustic sets with his mother, and performed the blues with his older brother, Billy Cole. Casey had his own country and rock bands and was starting to make a real name for himself until, he was in a really bad motorcycle accident that nearly killed him. His doctor said "you will no longer be able to play guitar, it will be difficult at best." A medical prediction that proved untrue.

Casey once told his American Idol critics “playing guitar while I sing is no more a choice than being country. It’s who I am, and if you’re gonna have me on the show, then I’m gonna play guitar, just like I would on a Monday night or Wednesday night or any other night of the week,” James says. “I do this for a living. And it was never an option for me. Yes, people were saying ‘This is a singing competition.’ I’m like, ‘Well, I realize that. But I’m in the competition, and I play guitar, so now it’s a guitar-playing/singing competition!’” The powers-that-be on the series “never really said anything, and I think they enjoyed the fact that I can actually play. I couldn’t really imagine doing any of those songs without doing what I do on the guitar, because it was so crucial to the way that I performed and even sang the song. Again it's who I am!”
Source: Casey James website