- Entered the music-publishing business as his singing career declined; his clients included both Elton John and the Beatles.
- James sold his shares of Northern Songs (the company he co-founded with The Beatles and Brian Epstein) to Britain's ATV in 1969, fearing both the Beatles' breakup and the negative publicity generated by John and Yoko's "peace campaign." James reportedly made no attempt to either inform the Beatles of his plans or give them a chance to buy him out; John learned of the sale reading a newspaper during his honeymoon with Yoko, after the deal was completed. James' action resulted in John and Paul's losing control of Northern Songs, and their own song copyrights.
- In the 1950s he often appeared in the top ten Melody Maker vocal charts alongside the likes of Dickie Valentine and Frank Holder.
- He sang with North London dance bands in his early teens, and was a regular vocalist at the Cricklewood Palais by the age of seventeen.
- With his son Stephen, James founded the DJM record label and recording studios, which signed Elton John and Bernie Taupin.
- He was was a British music publisher and singer.
- During the 1960s, James also handled Billy J. Kramer and Gerry and the Pacemakers.
- His father was a kosher butcher.
- James joined the Henry Hall band, and made first radio broadcast in 1940, but joined the Army in 1942.
- After World War II he continued to sing with leading bands, including Geraldo's. Later still, James was also a part-time member of The Stargazers, a popular early 1950s vocal group.
- Together with Brian Epstein he established Northern Songs Ltd., with Beatles John Lennon and Paul McCartney, to publish Lennon and McCartney's original songs (fellow Beatles George Harrison and Ringo Starr were also signed to Northern Songs as songwriters, but did not renew their contracts in 1968). James's company, Dick James Music, administered Northern Songs.
- Dick James Music was acquired by PolyGram which was, in turn, bought by Universal Music Group. The Dick James catalog is currently part of Universal Music Publishing Group.
- In 1958, he joined Sidney Bron Music as a song-plugger but decided to leave and open Dick James Music in 1961.
- He was involved, along with Brian Epstein, in offering Bobby Willis a singing contract which he turned down on his future wife, Cilla Black's, insistence. Willis was a backing singer on Cilla Black's "You're My World".
- James signed Elton John (then known as Reginald Dwight) and his lyricist Bernie Taupin as untried unknowns in 1967 after his son, Stephen, who had been working with his father since 1963, found Dwight using their recording studios late at night without permission.
- James entered the music publishing business as his singing career tapered off.
- In early 1963, he was contacted by Brian Epstein who was looking for a publisher for the second Beatles single, "Please Please Me". James called Philip Jones, producer of the TV show Thank Your Lucky Stars, played the record down the phone to him and secured the band's first nationwide television appearance.
- He was the singer of the theme songs of The Adventures of Robin Hood and The Buccaneers, from British television in the 1950s.
- In June 1985, the British music magazine NME reported that Elton John was suing James over the rights to his earlier material - a case which John lost.
- Dick James was a friend and associate of the record producer George Martin.
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