James Lynn, a native of Richmond, earned music degrees from Cincinnati Conservatory and Carnegie Mellon University. His early career included apprenticeships with Santa Fe Opera, San Francisco Opera and Glimmerglass Opera.

He then went on to sing with such companies as Florentine Opera, Lyric Opera of Cleveland, Western Opera Theater and Virginia Opera. Some of his favorite roles included Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola, Sparafucile in Rigoletto, the First Apprentice in Wozzeck, Ben Hubbard in Regina, and every male role in The Marriage of Figaro except Basilio and Cherubino.

He and his wife, Laurie, have settled in Mechanicsville and they despair that their two young daughters already crave the spotlight.