James Canwell was born and raised in Spokane, Washington. As a child, James had a keen interest in music and recording. His parents were very supportive and purchased him a large concert organ, enabling him to blend different sounds and create arrangements and compositions for family and friends. Soon after, he began recording his work and layering various elements in an attempt to create more complex productions, such as those he loved on “The Musical World of John Fox.
The Turning Point
At the age of sixteen, James was hired at the local Beautiful Music radio station in Spokane as an announcer. Here, he was able to work with much more elaborate equipment and spend many hours experimenting with various recording methods. As an employee of the radio station, he was able to contact his favorite composer John Fox, who promptly responded and invited James to his home in England; this was a major and welcome turning point. While in England, Mr. Fox took the time to show James many “tricks of the trade.