James Followell is a musical director, pianist, composer, and arranger living in Manhattan for more than 30 years. Working with Jerry Herman, James provided the vocal and piano arrangements for the musical revue, Showtune, which is in Mr. Herman’s library of musical shows. James has performed across America and Europe in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Zankel Hall, Feinsteins 54 Below, Prince Edward Theater and Vaudeville Theater (London), Savannah Music Festival, McCallum Theater (Palm Desert), and The Historic Asolo Theater in Sarasota.
James has worked with Broadway and Cabaret performers including KT Sullivan, Lee Roy Reams, Judy Blazer, Martin Vidnovic, Melissa Errico, Geroge Dvorsky, Malcom Gets, Cady Huffman, Jim Walton, Anna Bergman and Brent Barrett, in Lee Davis’s American Musical Theater interview concerts here at Guild Hall. Tributes to Arthur Laurents, Tony Walton, Mary Rodgers, Mary Ellen Barrett (Irving Berlin’s daughter), and tributes to Cole Porter, Lorenz Hart as well. James performed on PBS with Jennifer Sheehan in the new hour long cabaret series, 66th & Broadway, for the show’s debut episode.
Mr. Followell received the Dick Gallagher Award in 2005 for his work as a cabaret musical director/ pianist from the Mabel Mercer Foundation, and served in those capacities in the 92nd St. Y tribute to Ms. Mercer.
