It's easy to hear the influences in the music of James Casto. Traces of Billy Joel, Phil Vassar, Kenny Loggins , Bruce Hornsby, and Michael McDonald all weave their way into his songs. Casto started his musical career as a drummer doing session work and live performances in Atlanta, GA. His deepest passion, however, was songwriting. But it was years later before he felt confident enough to pursue his dream to write songs. Not seeing a future in music for himself, Casto earned an MBA from the University of Notre Dame and set out to make it in the business world by starting his own company. In 2000, he sold his enterprise to a multi-national company and went to work for them. Shortly after 9-11 he realized that he was truly miserable because he had forsaken his passion for songwriting. With a lot of fear and doubt Casto left his lucrative corporate job to pursue music in January 2002. The decision has changed his life... for the MUCH better. He quickly became a mainstay in Nashville learning the ropes from successful songwriters. He became a 3-time winner in the Nashville Songwriters Association - Country Music Television Songwriting Contest and a regular performer at the Bluebird Cafe, Douglas Corner, and other venues around Music City. Never truly intending to be a performer, Casto found that the best way to get his songs heard was playing live. Since then, Casto's soulful pop vocals and percussive style of piano playing has earned him fans across the globe. In short, he is a changed man because he took a leap of faith to pursue his passion. In 2004, Casto tapped into his business acumen when he started the Nashville Songwriters Tour www.nwst.com The tour consists of three talented Nashville performing songwriters and Casto. James felt that it would be an advantage in the competitive Nashville songwriting market if the four of them created a brand to stand out from the sea of individual writers. The idea has worked. The foursome have released three CDs to date. The projects are performed in-the-round style, which simulates their live show. Sell-out audiences and thousands of CDs later, the NHW Songwriters Tour turned out to be much bigger than anyone expected. Throughout the year, James Casto combines recording and touring with the NHW Songwriters Tour and managing a busy solo career. In 2006, he released his first solo CD, “Vol 1” and added saxophonist Matt Blanchard to his live show. The combination fit perfectly and the two-man show has been met with enthusiasm in Atlanta and New York City. The story of James Casto is about taking a chance, a leap of faith to pursue a passion. Reflecting back on the fear and doubt that once held him down, Casto sums up his new life and the lessons he learned in his popular song "Two Inches Deep"... TODAY I'M TAKING BACK MY LIFE, LETTING GO OF THINGS I CANNOT KEEP, ‘CAUSE TODAY I LOOKED UP AND REALIZED I'VE BEEN DROWNING IN WATER TWO INCHES DEEP.