James Valentine (born James Burgon Valentine, October 5, 1978, Lincoln, Nebraska) is an American musician. He is best known as the lead guitarist for the pop rock group Maroon 5. His family now lives in Utah. His mother works for Brigham Young University, which is owned and operated by the LDS Church. His father works for Utah Valley University and previously was an adjunct professor of Latin American literature at BYU. Valentine does not consider himself to be an active Mormon, but still identifies with the religion and culture. Valentine played in Lincoln bands Montag, Kid Quarkstar, Mondello,and Happy Dog. In 2000, Happy Dog changed its name to Square and he moved to Los Angeles, California from Anaheim, California where he taught private guitar lessons out of his home. Valentine had also played with Reel Big Fish, firstly when guitarist Aaron Barrett broke his hand, and then later in 2001 when Barrett fell down some stairs. Valentine displayed a picture from one Reel Big Fish show he played during Maroon 5's appearance on MTV Cribs. Eventually the members of Square and Kara's Flowers became friends and when Kara's Flowers began looking for another guitarist, Valentine was approached. Personal tensions in Square helped the decision, and shortly afterward, Kara's Flowers became Maroon 5. Valentine is a friend of John Mayer, whom he met in 1996 at Berklee in Boston, Massachusetts. Valentine once tried to get Mayer to move to Lincoln to play guitar for the Lincoln blues rock band Baby Jason and the Spankers. An opening slot on Mayer's 2003 summer tour helped bring widespread exposure to Maroon 5. Valentine contributed guitar work to Mayer's September 2006 release Continuum on the songs "Stop This Train" and "In Repair." Valentine has played guitar on Jenny Lewis's solo album, Rabbit Fur Coat, and has appeared in her music video for "Rise Up with Fists!!"
James Valentine Gear :
Gibson Les Paul
Fender Telecaster
Gibson Firebird
Fender Stratocaster
Fender Jazzmaster
Minarik Inferno
