Jim Rowlands

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}

{{Use British English|date=March 2013}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = James Rowlands

| alias = Jim

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1972|01|27}}

| occupation = Songwriter

Producer

Teacher

}}

Jim Rowlands (born 27/01/1972), is a Welsh singer, who lives in Loyat, Brittany, France, where he is also a town councillor in the [https://www.ouest-france.fr/bretagne/loyat-56800/didier-bourne-remporte-les-elections-avec-54-28-40aeac40-fa98-11ee-8d39-b33496a753f6 opposition] .{{cite news

|author = Tony Trainor

|title = Supporters rally to save Welsh cultural oasis from debt

|newspaper=Western Mail

|date = 24 May 2002

}}{{cite news

|title = Arts: Rowlands plays at home

|newspaper=Western Mail

|date = 21 May 2002

}} He toured France over the last 30 years almost non-stop, promoting Wales and its music and culture in countless festivals, such as L'interceltique de lorient and Printemps de Bourges, and concerts, such as at Stade de France and Cirque Bouglione.{{cite news | first=Corinne | last=Nèves | title=Toute la musique du monde en Seine-Saint-Denis | newspaper=Le Parisien | date=16 October 2004 | url=http://www.leparisien.fr/val-d-oise/toute-la-musique-du-monde-en-seine-saint-denis-16-10-2004-2005377635.php | language=French | accessdate=7 October 2010}}

He played principally solo, with harpist Hywel John and with Mirrorfield who notably opened for [https://www.ledauphine.com/isere-sud/2012/11/10/deep-purple-du-rock-de-l-energie-et-beaucoup-de-plaisir Deep Purple] and toured [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HXcjJLKhCk South Korea].{{Citation needed|date=October 2010}}

Rowlands also recorded many albums of his own brand of Welsh Celtic songs, most notably Gobaith in 1999 on the SMC label and Pasbort in 2001, which was released in Wales on SAIN, and which contains the single "Cysgu Tawel" (a quiet sleep).

In recent years all of his albums have been remastered and rereleased. [https://open.spotify.com/intl-fr/artist/0CzHkeoTc1U2THKLROSmZw Stranded] 2015 and The Night Watchmen 2017 are notable. His most enduringly popular song is [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74gqxxnYM3U&t=9s And I've Seen].

His music has played on at least one English-language BBC radio show in 2004,Celtic Heartbeat Playlist for 9 December 2006, found at [http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/radiowales/sites/celticheartbeat/playlists/20061209.shtml BBC website]. Accessed 7 October 2010. and the Cymru (Welsh) BBC lists him as a featured artist."Bandiau ac artistiaid," Cymru BBC, n.d. "Cysylltiadau i fandiau ac artistiaid ...." (Translates as "Links to bands and artists".) Found at

[http://www.bbc.co.uk/radiocymru/c2/safle/cysylltiadau/cynnwys/artistiaid.shtml Cymru BBC website]. Accessed 7 October 2010.

Rowlands wrote and performed the background music for The Naked Isle, a documentary about British prisoners of war.See [https://www.fepow-community.org.uk/ FEPOW Community website] and [https://www.fepow-day.org/ FEPOW Day website]. Both accessed 7 October 2010. He has two daughters: Alys and Catrin Rowlands

Now aged 53,{{when|date=May 2025}} he has taken a back-seat from touring and live performance and although still releases music and albums, has turned his hand to [https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AJames+EM+Rowlands&s=relevancerank&text=James+EM+Rowlands&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1 writing] novels, poetry and short stories, as well as one play.

On Saturday 18th march of 2023 Rowlands sang the Welsh national anthem Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau to 80 000 people on the field of play at the Stade de France before the [https://nation.cymru/sport/welsh-teacher-based-in-france-to-sing-both-anthems-on-saturday-in-paris/ France v Wales 6 Nations game].

In 2025 Rowlands is releasing an audiobook in weekly episodes called [https://www.deezer.com/fr/album/771436031?host=0&utm_campaign=clipboard-generic&utm_source=user_sharing&utm_content=album-771436031&deferredFl=1 / Hoose] a semi-fictional village in which all his novels and plays take place at some stage.

He has also co-written the song [https://open.spotify.com/intl-fr/album/6Br9QfOauIAFarBfsA8cQl Beautiful Things] with Thierry Meyer.

In November 2025 he will premier a Bob Dylan Tribute show.