James Poyser in Sheffield, England is a multi-Grammy winning songwriter

Songwriter

A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...

, musician

Musician

A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....

 and multi-platinum producer

Record producer

A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...

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Poyser has written and produced songs for various legendary and award-winning artists including Erykah Badu

Erykah Badu

Erica Abi Wright , better known by her stage name Erykah Badu , is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Her work includes elements from R&B, hip hop and jazz. She is best known for her role in the rise of the neo soul sub-genre, and for her eccentric, cerebral musical...

, Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...

, John Legend

John Legend

John Roger Stephens , better known by his stage name John Legend, is an American singer, musician, and actor. He is the recipient of nine Grammy Awards, and in 2007, he received the special Starlight award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.Prior to the release of his debut album, Stephens' career...

, Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Noelle Hill is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress.Early in her career, she established her reputation as a member of the Fugees. In 1998, she launched her solo career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album, The Miseducation of...

, Common, Anthony Hamilton

Anthony Hamilton (musician)

Anthony Hamilton is an American R&B, and soul singer-songwriter, and record producer who rose to fame with his platinum-selling second studio album Comin' from Where I'm From , which featured the singles "Comin' from Where I'm From" and "Charlene."-Life and career:Hamilton was born in Charlotte,...

, D'Angelo

D'Angelo

Michael Eugene Archer , better known by his stage name D'Angelo, is an American R&B and neo soul singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He is known for his production and songwriting talents as much as for his vocal abilities, and often draws comparisons to his influences,...

, The Roots

The Roots

The Roots is an American hip hop/neo soul band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are famed for beginning with a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which still includes live instrumentals...

, and Keyshia Cole

Keyshia Cole

Keyshia Myeshia Cole Gibson born October 15, 1981) is an American singer–songwriter and actress. She gained nationwide acclaim when her 2005 debut album, The Way It Is went platinum. Her sophomore album Just Like You went into production shortly after that and was released in September 2007...

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During his career, Poyser has toured, and played live with such distinctive artists as Jay-Z

Jay-Z

Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...

, The Roots, Erykah Badu, and Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin

Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...

. An active session musician, he has contributed to the works of Adele

Adele (singer)

Adele Laurie Blue Adkins , known professionally as Adele, is an English singer-songwriter. She was the first recipient of the Brit Awards Critics' Choice and was named the number-one predicted breakthrough act of 2008 in an annual BBC poll of music critics, Sound of 2008...

, Norah Jones

Norah Jones

Norah Jones is an American singer-songwriter and occasional actress.In 2002, she launched her solo music career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album Come Away With Me, which was certified a diamond album in 2002, selling over 20 million copies...

, Eric Clapton

Eric Clapton

Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...

, Joss Stone

Joss Stone

Jocelyn Eve Stoker , better known by her stage name Joss Stone, is an English soul singer-songwriter and actress. Stone rose to fame in late 2003 with her multi-platinum debut album, The Soul Sessions, which made the 2004 Mercury Prize shortlist...

, Ziggy Marley

Ziggy Marley

David "Ziggy" Marley is a Jamaican musician and leader of the band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers. He is the oldest son of famed reggae musician Bob Marley...

, Macy Gray

Macy Gray

Macy Gray is a Grammy Award-winning American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress, famed for her distinctive raspy voice, and a singing style heavily influenced by Billie Holiday and Betty Davis.Gray has released five studio albums, with her fifth studio album, The Sellout,...

 and Femi Kuti

Femi Kuti

Olufela Olufemi Anikulapo Kuti popularly known as Femi Kuti, is a Nigerian musician and the eldest son of afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti....

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Poyser received a Grammy for Best R&B Song in 2003 for co-writing Erykah Badu

Erykah Badu

Erica Abi Wright , better known by her stage name Erykah Badu , is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Her work includes elements from R&B, hip hop and jazz. She is best known for her role in the rise of the neo soul sub-genre, and for her eccentric, cerebral musical...

 and Common's hit "Love Of My Life." James was also the executive producer on Badu's highly celebrated albums, Mama's Gun and Worldwide Underground.

A longtime collaborator and member of The Roots

The Roots

The Roots is an American hip hop/neo soul band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are famed for beginning with a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which still includes live instrumentals...

, James has joined them on stage, performing live as the houseband for NBC

NBC

The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...

's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon on NBC. The show premiered on March 2, 2009, as the third incarnation of the Late Night franchise originated by David Letterman....

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Production and Songwriting

• • Erykah Badu - "Window Seat", "Out of My Mind Just in Time", Master Teacher" "Back in the Day, Puff", "Bump It", "Cleva", "Danger", "I Want You", "Love of My Life", "My Life", "Other Side Of The Game", "Penitentiary Philosophy", "Sometimes", "Kiss Me on My Neck", "Green Eyes", "On & On", "Afro"
  • Mariah Carey - "I Wish You Well", "Mine Again", "When Christmas Comes"
  • John Legend - Wake Up
  • Jill Scott - "Cant Explain", "Talk To Me", "Exclusively", "Try"
  • Sy Smith - "Deep Sleep", "Do Things", "Bruise", "Drop That"
  • Keyshia Cole "No Other"
  • The Roots - "The Lessons Part III"
  • Common - "*69", "Aquarius", "Between You and Liberation", "Common Free Stye", " Electric Wire Hustle Flower", "Ghetto Heaven Part 2", "Heaven Somewhere", Jimi Was a Rock Star", "New Wave", "The Questions", "Soul Power", "Time Travelin"
  • Anthony Hamilton - "Corn Bread, Fish and Collard Greens", "I Tried", "Don't Get Me To Lying"
  • Corinne Bailey Rae - "The Blackest Lilly"
  • Bilal - "Sometimes", "Bring 2"
  • D'Angelo - "Chicken Grease"
  • Eric Benet - "Love of My Own", "When You Think of Me", "Spanish Fly"
  • Lauryn Hill - "Superstar"
  • Musiq Soulchild - "Someone", "Mother Father", "Real Love"
  • Tye Tribbett - Life
  • Al Green - Lay it Down
  • Jaheim - "In My Hands"
  • Ruben Studdard - "Our Story"

Sessions

• • Eric Clapton
  • Adele 21
  • Norah Jones The Fall
  • Ziggy Marley Family Time
  • Citizen Cope The Rainwater LP
  • Roy Hargrove Strength

Film And TV

• • Hawthorne
  • Dave Chappelle Block Party
  • Fame
  • The Wash
  • Fighting Temptations
  • Baby Boy
  • The Goods Live Hard Sell Hard
  • Totally Awesome
  • For One Night