Meet the Scots singer bringing pure joy to care homes across the country

Things may seem bleak for Scotland’s older generation as they continue to shield themselves from coronavirus. Yet, one man is determined to inject a little bit of joy back into their lives.

Kirk James, a professional singer living in Bellshill, has been turning up at some of the country’s care homes to provide residents with al fresco lockdown entertainment.

James, whose real name is Eddie Smith, proved a hit with the inhabitants of one sheltered housing complex in Wishaw, as they gathered outside for a dance while he belted out some of their favourite songs.

The reaction, in James’ own words, was “brilliant”, and a video of his performance went viral on Facebook, racking up more than three thousand views and hundreds of comments praising him for the “heartwarming” show.

The singer – who last year turned down an invite to appear on Britain’s Got Talent when he was asked if he would lift his kilt to flash the audience – says his care home concerts help him to feel he’s doing his bit during the Covid-19 crisis.

“People in care homes can’t get out right now, so it’s great to be able to take the music to them,” he says.

James, 65, has become something of a local lockdown celebrity.

It all started with a Facebook Live performance from his living room, intended to bring entertainment to those self-isolating at home.

Armed with his microphone and stand, the singer belted out banger after banger for his swarm of virtual viewers. Soon enough, the video gained thousands of views from across the country.

Now, thanks to his social media fame, James is juggling his schedule to put on weekly Facebook live performances and sing at different care homes – all alongside his key work as an overnight shelf-stacker at his local Morrisons.

He took on this essential role – which, unsurprisingly, he admits is “hard going” – to make extra income after the coronavirus outbreak led to his singing work gradually drying up.

The singer, who has multiple albums released on iTunes, has been performing at care homes and sheltered houses from Dundee to Dunoon for the past number of years.

However, new fears over protecting vulnerable older people from Covid-19 meant he wasn’t receiving many bookings.

Like the myriads of people struggling to keep busy during this uncertain and often lonely time, James turned to social media. Thanks to Facebook Live, he has been able to do what he loves doing best from the comfort of his own living room; performing every Tuesday night for an, albeit virtual, audience.

The reaction to these weekly singalongs has been tremendous, with hundreds of comments from people begging him to sing their requests.

James hasn’t let the response inflate his ego, describing the unprecedented online reaction as “humbling”.

He says: “The reaction to the Facebook videos was brilliant. I was over the moon with the feedback.

“Care home staff then got in contact with me, asking me to come back and perform, saying the residents had been missing me.

“I suggested doing it outside if the weather’s nice and setting up a gazebo, and the idea just snowballed from there.

“Work is now starting to build up again and it’s keeping me out of the water. And, I’m still managing to try out new songs.”

James hasn’t only found himself in demand with local care homes. Last year, he was headhunted by the producers of Britain’s Got Talent after they’d seen one of his videos on YouTube.

“There’s a wee song I’d written called True Scotsman, and I’m wearing a kilt in it. The producers had seen it and asked me if I’d go on the show,” he recalls.

“Right away, I wasn’t too sure. I said I felt like they might take the mick out of Scottish people. But they said that wasn’t the case, saying, ‘You’ve got to wear the kilt, you’ve got to sing that song’. So, I agreed.

“I went for an audition in Glasgow and it went down really well. They phoned again and said I was through to the live shows. Then, a couple of days before Christmas they phoned, telling me it would be in either Manchester or London.

“They said, ‘We’re just wondering, when you finish your song, could you turn round, bend over and lift up your kilt to flash the audience?’

“I said no – I’ve got more integrity than that! I wouldn’t want the people up here in care homes to remember me for doing that on TV. I have more self-respect, so I didn’t end up going to the audition.”

Turning down a slot on the UK’s biggest talent contest may seem like madness to some, but the decision hasn’t adversely impacted James’ popularity – in fact, it’s the complete opposite.

He has multiple care home bookings coming up, including a surprise performance at a home in Wishaw tonight.

Yet, James is still yearning for his full-time work.

After coronavirus restrictions are fully lifted, apart from going out for a nice meal (which he says is his “favourite hobby”) he plans to continue with his singing at homes and in clubs, as well as keeping going with a weekly Facebook performance. Thankfully, his neighbours “have been alright with it so far”!

The singer is also one fifth of The Music Roadshow – a group of four men and one woman who perform mash-ups of Motown, musicals, disco, ballads and rock.

Their dates have been cancelled – the group were supposed to be performing in Coventry a couple of weeks ago – and they are unable to meet up to rehearse, but James hopes the quintet will soon be able to get back to business. Luckily, the cancelled dates have already been rescheduled for next year.

It’s clear Kirk James’ entire life now revolves around singing, which is why it’s hard to believe that he was 35-years-old before he realised he had a talent.

“I knew I could carry a tune but I didn’t realise I had a big voice,” he says.

“I was tricked into going up and singing at a club one night, and I was told I was quite good. A friend who was on the New Faces talent show said I had a lovely voice – why didn’t I go and get it trained?

“So, I went to training for a year and a half, once a week. I then started landing parts in amateur dramatics, and I got a lead role for one up in Lanark with the Upper Clyde Opera Society.

“Then, people would phone me to come and sing in their clubs.”

Unfortunately, it wasn’t all plain sailing for the singer. Once, he landed a lead role in an Apollo Players [one of the UK’s leading amateur theatre companies] performance, which was a mix of all the biggest musicals like Les Mis, Phantom of the Opera, and West Side Story.

James was ecstatic to be cast as Jean Valjean in the finale at Glasgow’s King’s Theatre, and had rehearsed the part for sixth months. Two days before the performance, Andrew Lloyd Webber put a copyright ban on the musical, and he never got to take to the stage as the Les Mis protagonist.

Undeterred, James kept up the amateur drama and club singing until about eight years ago, when he decided to cut back and just perform at care homes.

“Since I did that, my work has trebled! I sing the stuff they like to hear and I get so many bookings. I absolutely love it. Music is what I love.”

And, if the scores of enthusiastic Facebook comments are anything to go by, it’s obvious his audiences love him back.

Kirk James is live from his Facebook page every Tuesday night at 7:30pm, and his CDs are available to download on iTunes.