Alexander James Adams

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Alexander James Adams
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name =


Img_capt = Alexander James Adams at a performance in March 2008.
Alias = Heather Alexander
Born =
Origin =
Instrument = Voice, violin, guitar, bodhrán
Genre = World, Celtic
Occupation =
Years_active = 1985–present
Label = SeaFire Productions, Inc
Associated_acts = Phoenyx, Uffington Horse, Tricky Pixie
URL = [http://www.faerietaleminstrel.com/inside/ www.FaerieTaleMinstrel.com] , [http://www.heatherlands.com www.Heatherlands.com]

Alexander James Adams is an American singer, musician and songwriter in the Celtic and World music genres. He blends mythical, fantasy, and traditional themes in performances, switching between instrumental fiddle and songs accompanied by guitar, bodhran, and fiddle playing. He has also been a popular and influential artist in the field of filk music.

Adams performed as Heather Alexander for 25 years before beginning to tour as Alexander James Adams. [ [http://www.tri-cityherald.com/901/story/93016.html "Radcon 5 draws sci-fi, fantasy fans to Pasco"] , Tri-City Herald, Feb 17, 2008. The article refers to " [t] ransgender Celtic performer Alexander James Adams", adding that " [t] he singer-songwriter toured across the U.S. and in England and Germany as Heather Alexander for 25 years before beginning to tour as Alexander, said Kore Adams, his partner."] [http://www.justout.com/archives/issues/03_07_08/ "The Disappearance of Heather Alexander", "Just Out", March 7, 2008, pp 24-25.] Adams discusses his transition and career in this interview. ]

The last public performance as Heather was at OryCon 2006. His debut as Alexander James Adams was at Seattle's Norwescon 30, on 6 April 2007.

Career

Mid 1980s - 2006

A native of California, Heather Alexander began performing original music in the mid-eighties for friends, Renaissance fairs, and science fiction conventions. Off Centaur Publications was recording performances at one convention and asked to include Alexander. This began an association where Alexander recorded for Off Centaur and later Firebird Arts and Music, primarily work for hire. [http://www.strangehorizons.com/2002/20020729/heather.shtml Strange Horizons Interview, 29 July 2002] ]

In the late 1980s Alexander founded the Celtic fusion rock band Phoenyx, which released one album, "Keepers of the Flame"; the band disbanded in 1991 after achieving a high degree of local fame, and that album is no longer in print.For more information see the [http://www.heatherlands.com/seafire/pages/frames.html?http%3A//www.heatherlands.com/seafire/pages/phoenyx.html Heatherlands.com page on the album] , including information from the album's press kit; [http://www.heatherlands.com/seafire/pages/frames.html?http%3A//www.heatherlands.com/seafire/pages/Heather_Alexander_FAQ.html Heatherlands.com FAQ] ; [http://www.moremoose.com/discography.htm Mark Ungar's Discography] ; [http://www.fiddlersfancy.com/selrecs.htm Cat Taylor Discography] . ]

Alexander returned to a solo career. Firebird Arts & Music produced a live album which did well enough to inspire Alexander to create a label (Sea Fire Productions, Inc.) for the release "Wanderlust" 1994. Two live concert albums and several studio albums have followed. [http://www.strangehorizons.com/2002/20020729/heather.shtml Strange Horizons Interview, 29 July 2002] ] [http://www.heatherlands.com/seafire/pages/discog.html Discography on the official website, www.heatherlands.com] ] Alexander also moved to the Pacific Northwest, settling in Banks, Oregon in 2002.

In 2001, Alexander founded a new band, Uffington Horse, together with Andrew Hare and Dan Ochipinti and continued to perform solo gigs between band appearances. In 2004, a limited run of the Uffington Horse promotional CD was offered to fans to help finance recording their first studio album, "Enchantment", published in 2004. In 2002, Heather Alexander told "Strange Horizons" that "I tend to think of myself as a "musical entertainer." I sing, play, compose, and tell stories." [http://www.strangehorizons.com/2002/20020729/heather.shtml Strange Horizons Interview, 29 July 2002] ] The band performed at numerous science fiction and Furry conventions.

2007 - present

In early 2007 Adams transitioned gender and since April 2007 has performed in many of the venues that he had formerly played as Heather Alexander. He has played with Uffington Horse and has also formed a new band, Tricky Pixie, with S.J. Tucker and Betsy Tinney. In summer 2007, the band released a recording of their first concert, "Live!", which is the earliest released recording of Adams' voice.

Adams' first post-transition solo album, "Cat & The Fiddle", was entirely instrumental. "Balance of Nature", released in fall 2007, mixed a few of his older works (such as "Creature of the Wood") with new songs.

In November 2007, Adams released the Yule album "Wintertide", featuring duets between both Adams' and Heather Alexander's voices. As noted in Adams' interview in "Just Out", "Wintertide" is the first album with a series of these duets. "A Familiar Promise", released in July 2008, also includes duets between both voices.

Literary collaborations

Several of the Firebird Arts and Music albums include collaborations with Mercedes Lackey and inspired by the works of Andre Norton. (See the discography below for more information.)

The 2002 album "Insh'Allah" was inspired by Steven Barnes's novel "Lion's Blood". The songs and the book were written concurrently, and several of the songs are quoted in the book and its sequel. [http://www.strangehorizons.com/2002/20020729/heather.shtml Strange Horizons Interview, 29 July 2002] ]

In a similar vein, the 2006 album "Merlin's Descendants" is based on the fiction of Irene Radford. [http://www.heatherlands.com Discography on the official website, www.heatherlands.com] ] [http://www.theflyingparty.com/radford/ Irene Radford's site] .]

Several of Alexander's songs were also used in S.M. Stirling's Emberverse series.

Cultural references

Several songs have been featured in the novels of John Ringo. An MP3 of "March of Cambreadth" was included on an accompanying CD and is available for download at the publisher's site. Per the [http://www.heatherlands.com Midsummer page on the official website, www.heatherlands.com] , and BAEN books site. ]

S.M. Stirling quotes Adams' song lyrics in his "Island in the Sea of Time" trilogy. His "Dies the Fire" series features a red-haired musician who plays guitar, fiddle, and bodhran named "Juniper Mackenzie". Adams' song lyrics are used as "Mackenzie's" songs in the book. (Juniper and heather are both plants.) This been commented on in [http://politedissent.com/archives/561 reviews] and convention programs. ]

Mike Shepard used the song "March of Cambreadth" in his book "Defiant". "Defiant" also has a character named Heather Alexander.

Several of Adams' songs have been parodied, most notably "March of Cambreadth".

Pegasus Awards

He has received three Pegasus Awards:
* 1996: Best Performer
* 1996: Best Writer/Composer
* 2006: Best Battle Song, "March of Cambreadth"

Discography

The albums listed through "Everafter" are billed as Heather Alexander. Later are billed as Alexander James Adams. Despite the transition, all lyrics, music, and recordings originally copyright Heather Alexander retain the copyright of Heather Alexander.

olo Albums

Unless otherwise noted, albums feature a mix of traditional & original Celtic music.

* "Freedom, Flight and Fantasy" 1990 (Firebird Arts and Music). Lyrics: Mercedes Lackey. Music: Leslie Fish. Arrangements: Cecilia Eng.
* "Heather Alexander, Live" 1992 (Firebird Arts and Music). Alexander sings and plays guitar, bodhran, and fiddle.
* "Songsmith", 1993 (Firebird Arts and Music). Songs based on the book "Songsmith" by Andre Norton and A.C. Crispin.
* "Wanderlust" 1994 (Sea Fire Productions, Inc.) First studio recording on Alexander's own label with backing musicians.
* "Shadow Stalker" 1994 (Firebird Arts and Music). Lyrics: Mercedes Lackey & D.F. Sanders. Music: Heather Alexander & Cecilia Eng. Arrangements: Heather Alexander.
* "Life's Flame" 1996 (Sea Fire Productions, Inc.) Second live album. Alexander sings and plays guitar, bodhran, and fiddle.
* "Midsummer" 1997 (Sea Fire Productions, Inc.) Second studio recording on Alexander's own label with backing musicians.
* "A Gypsy's Home" 2001 (Sea Fire Productions, Inc.) Third studio recording on Alexander's own label with backing musicians.
* "Insh'allah -- Music of Lion's Blood" 2002 (Sea Fire Productions, Inc.) Songs based in the world of Steven Barnes' book "Lion's Blood". The book and album were written concurrently; Barnes quotes song lyrics in the book.
* "Festival Wind" 2003 (Sea Fire Productions, Inc.) Third live album. Alexander sings and plays guitar, bodhran, and fiddle.
* "Album of Secrets" 2003 (Sea Fire Productions, Inc.) Primarily bloopers and outtakes from the recording of "Festival Wind".
* "Merlin's Descendants" 2006 (Sea Fire Productions, Inc.) Songs based on the "Merlin's Descendants" series by Irene Radford. [http://www.heatherlands.com/seafire/pages/discog.html Discography] and [http://www.heatherlands.com/seafire/pages/frames.html?http%3A//www.heatherlands.com/seafire/pages/shopping.html old order page] on official website.]
* "Arms of the Sea" 2006 (Sea Fire Productions, Inc.) Traditional and original sea shanties.
* "Everafter" 2007 (Sea Fire Productions, Inc.) Final Heather Alexander solo album, this is a studio recording with backing musicians. (Despite having the same name as the DVD, the album is not DVD soundtrack.)
* "Cat & The Fiddle" 2007 (Sea Fire Productions, Inc.) Instrumental fiddle tunes.
* "Balance of Nature" 2007 (Sea Fire Productions, Inc.) Mostly new songs, a few re-recorded old songs ("Creature of the Wood"), and a few songs that blend old and new (such as "He of the Sidhe").
* "Wintertide" 2007 (Sea Fire Productions, Inc.) Yule album featuring traditional and original songs by Heather Alexander & Alexander James Adams, featuring duets between both voices.See Alexander James Adams albums on [http://www.heatherlands.com www.heatherlands.com] ]
* "A Familiar Promise" 2008 (Sea Fire Productions, Inc.) Studio album featuring new and old songs.Announced on [http://www.faerietaleminstrel.com/inside/ www.faerietaleminstrel.com] ]

Band albums

* "Keepers of the Flame", Phoenyx 1990 (Phoenyx and Sea Fire Productions, Inc.) Issued by the band in 1990. No longer in print.
* "Uffington Horse Promotional Album", Uffington Horse, 2004 (Sea Fire Productions, Inc.) Created for promotional purposes; a limited run was offered to fans in 2004.For more information see the archived [http://heatherlands.com/uffingtonhorse/pages/promo.html product page] .]
* "Enchantment", Uffington Horse 2004 (Sea Fire Productions, Inc.) Uffington's studio album.For more information, see the [http://heatherlands.com/uffingtonhorse/pages/albums.html Uffington Horse website] ]
* "Live!", 2007 Tricky Pixie. Contains songs written and performed by Alexander James Adams, S.J. Tucker and Betsy Tinney.For more information see the [http://www.trickypixie.com/merch.php Tricky Pixie website] ]

DVD

* "Everafter" February 2007 (Sea Fire Productions, Inc.) Recording of Heather Alexander's final public concert in November 2006 at Orycon. Alexander sang and played guitar, bodhran, and fiddle. Bonus materials include a few performances at a pub and an interview.

Books

* "Everafter" booklet February 2007. A short faerie tale.
* "The Heather Alexander Songbook" was published in late 2007. It includes lyrics and music for the Sea Fire Productions albums from "Wanderlust" through "Everafter".

Guest appearances

This includes compilations and backing appearances for other artists.
* "Thirteen", Vixy & Tony, 2008. Played fiddle and percussion on the track "Apprentice".
* "Gaia Circles", Gaia Consort, 2000. Played fiddle on most of the tracks.
* "", Leslie Fish. Sings on the track "Better than Who".
* "The Constellation", Hank Cramer, 2003.
* "Roundworm", various artists, 2000. (Song parodies by Bob Kanefsky.) Sings "December of Cambreadth", a parody of "March of Cambreadth", and "Something's Under The Bed", a parody of "Up In The Loft".

See also

* "Faerie Queen (song)"
* "The Stolen Child"
* filk music

References

External links

* [http://www.heatherlands.com Official website, www.heatherlands.com]
* [http://www.trickypixie.com Tricky Pixie Official website]
* "The Disappearance of Heather Alexander" in "Just Out", March 7, 2008, pp [http://www.justout.com/archives/issues/03_07_08/24.pdf 24] & [http://www.justout.com/archives/issues/03_07_08/25.pdf 25] (PDFs). Adams discusses his transition and career in this interview.
* [http://www.firebirdarts.com/ Firebird Arts and Music]
* [http://www.rambles.net/alexander_flame.html Review of "Life's Flame"]
* [http://www.strangehorizons.com/2002/20020729/heather.shtml Strange Horizons Interview, 29 July 2002]
* [http://www.strangehorizons.com/2002/20020729/joining.shtml Strange Horizons Review of "Insh'Allah", 29 July 2002]
* [http://www.greenmanreview.com/live/live_alexander_gaia_2002.html Performance review, October 2002]
* [http://www.smstirling.com/ S.M. Stirling's website, including sample chapters of the "Dies the Fire" series.]
* [http://www.theflyingparty.com/radford/ Irene Radford's site] , featuring the "Merlin's Descendants" series.
* [http://www.last.fm/music/Heather+Alexander Last.fm page]
* [http://www.library.beau.org/lib/ebooks/baen/04/Heather_Alexander.htm BAEN bio of Heather Alexander] (BAEN publishes the John Ringo books that reference Heather Alexander)