Jamie Purnell has been a singer-songwriter for 16 years. His catchy, heartfelt, and worldly-wise songs are often derived from his own experience. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Jamie is now based in the Raleigh, NC area, where he plays at various local clubs and festivals.

Jamie started writing songs at age 18, on a guitar he found discarded in his grandfather’s closet. “The strangest part of that story”, says Jamie, “Is that the guitar was originally a peace offering to my grandfather from my father”.
During the prolonged period of growth that marked his college years, Jamie became more and more focused on playing the guitar. “I now see myself as an acoustic guitarist who also writes lyrics”, says Jamie, “but, then again, I wrote a lot of poetry before I ever picked up the guitar”.

Jamie’s lyrical style involves connecting the familiar and the profound by using everyday objects as metaphors or by placing commonly used words or phrases in other contexts. “The power of lyrics to make you think about or feel about something is immense. There are many songs I know, other’s and my own, that have just about saved my life at one time or another.” The central themes in Jamie’s writing are relationships, self-discovery, and, surviving the turmoil of change. “I am continually amazed by the adaptive nature of human beings. I’ve surprised myself more than once”, says Jamie.

Musically, Jamie moves almost effortlessly between various genres, moods, and styles. He can evoke a hot night on a smoky city street, or a flower unexpectedly blooming on a quiet winter’s morning. “I get easily bored, and I hate repeating myself”, says Jamie. His influences over the years have likewise covered a wide range of styles. Here is a partial list: Paul Simon, Billy Joel, REM, Indigo Girls, David Wilcox, Van Morrison, Dar Williams, Gillian Welch, They Might Be Giants, and The Subdudes.

After putting down his guitar for many years after college, tragedy brought Jamie back to songwriting. “When my mother died of cancer in 1998, my music became my lifeline”. When a job offer from North Carolina came along, Jamie jumped at the chance to make a fresh start. “Life is like writing in that trying something new is often the only way to get better.” Since moving down south, many of Jamie’s musical dreams have come true. In 2002, Jamie shared stages with two of his heroes: Michelle Shocked and Kristen Hall.

In October 2003, Jamie fulfilled another long-standing dream, releasing his debut album “Two Different Towns”

Biography