James Dupré

A country balladeer in the proud tradition of Randy Travis, James Dupré first came into national view as part of Adam Levine's team on the ninth season of The Voice, which aired in the fall of 2015. Dupré released an album named Stoned to Death in the wake of his run on The Voice, then he settled in on the country concert circuit, eventually becoming part of the Music of Randy Travis, a package that featured him fronting Travis' backing band. Born on August 13, 1984, in Mamou, Louisiana, and raised in nearby Bayou Chicot, Dupré didn't start performing music until he attended college at the University of Louisiana Monroe. He started as a backup singer in a group, liking it enough to teach himself guitar, which in turn started him writing. After spending two years pursuing music, he was encouraged by his father to find a real job. Dupré decided to take his dad's advice and followed in his father's footsteps and worked as a paramedic, a job he held until he auditioned for The Voice. The Voice was Dupré's big break, but prior to his appearance on the show, he recorded an indie debut called It's All Happening and carved out a following on YouTube, even landing an appearance on Ellen DeGeneres' syndicated talk show in 2010. This activity gave him a solid foundation for his time on The Voice during autumn 2015. Dupré wound up on the team coached by Adam Levine and during his run on the show, he released two singles: a version of Darius Rucker's "Let Her Cry" and a cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Fortunate Son," which was a duet with fellow contestant Dustin Monk. Dupré was eliminated just prior to the playoff rounds in November 2015, but his stint on The Voice gave him a professional career. He seized the opportunity by recording the full-length Stoned to Death with producer Jordan Lehning; the album appeared in 2016. His next big move happened in 2019, when he appeared on the Music of Randy Travis tour, filling in for his ailing idol. That same year, he released the single "Another Love Song," which was followed the next year by "You're Probably Drunk Right Now."
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo