James Drakes

Pittsburgh, PA

James is a musician, writer and environmentalist based in Pittsburgh, PA. He earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Environmental Science, with a focus on waterways and wetlands. He finds solace and inspiration at the beach or when surrounded by nature. After beginning a career in music, he wanted to continue working to battle environmental issues and connected with the Plastic Ocean Project. Portions of his album sales and live performances are donated to POP. He hopes to continue combining his strong science background with his musical abilities and audience reach to educate people about the issues our waterways face, especially plastic pollution.

In 2018, James co-founded “Follow These Rivers Festival” with band-mate Jonathan Fisher. FTR Fest is a plastic free event that raises funds for nonprofit groups battling environmental issues and promotes awareness to these issues they face. The focus of the festival is to showcase the impact of inland pollution on our oceans. The day begins with a river clean-up, and is full of art, music and community. The duo hope to continue with the event annually.