Joseph Ciembroniewicz
Staff Photographer
Out of all of the venues Arizona singer and songwriter Sarah James has played, Chautauqua’s lakeside bar holds the best memories for her.
“3 Taps has been my space here at Chautauqua,” she said.
Today, James’ new Chautauqua-inspired single “Back Home to You” will be released on streaming platforms. She rediscovered her lyrics from notes she made three years ago, and since then they have materialized into a poppy, fun tune about life on the lake. It’s a “pontoon boat, beer drinking, jump in the water kind of beach song.”
James has become a facet of Chautauqua’s musical community, and Chautauqua, in turn, fosters her own artistic development.
“Chautauqua’s so rich with music and arts you can’t help but be inspired,” said James.
She doesn’t know if she would be pursuing her music career so intensely if it weren’t for the relationships that have developed at Chautauqua. Although she has “had a love affair with the guitar for 40-some years,” she was timid about performance before finding a community at Chautauqua that encouraged her toward the stage.
“They literally insisted that I get out and play,” she said. “It really was the first time I felt free. I felt the freedom to be me and play this music and do what I do.”
