SOULFUL singer songwriter James Morrison includes Southampton on his 23-date UK and European tour next year.

Following the release of latest singles Demons, Stay Like This and new Top Ten album Higher Than Here, he visits O2 Guildhall on March 17.

James was recently given an amazing welcome back when he played his first live shows since 2011 – two nights at Wilton’s Music Hall and one night at the Tabernacle in London – all of which sold out in a matter of seconds.

The tour next spring will see James performing tracks taken from his new album as well some of his biggest hits including Broken Strings, You Give Me Something and Wonderful World.

• Tickets are on sale now from o2guildhallsouthampton.co.uk

When James broke on to the scene in 2006, even he couldn’t have predicted that he would become the template that allowed a wave of like-minded musicians to enter the field. He was told by the veteran soul producer Jerry Wexler that his raspy, gravelly voice, the product of a childhood illness, had its “own thumbprint” and was so distinctive that “once heard, never forgotten”. Now, almost a decade on, Ed Sheeran, George Ezra and James Bay are all ruling the charts following the same format; one guy with just a guitar and an incredible voice.

Pop gems like You Give Me Something from his first record Undiscovered won him the 2007 BRIT Award for Best Male when he was still just 21 years old.

James has gone on to sell more than 4.5 million copies of his first three albums, performed four world tours including sold-out shows to thousands at London’s Hyde Park, supporting both Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder and appeared on Herbie Hancock’s Grammy-winning album The Imagination Project.

2008’s Songs for You, Truths for Me brought with it a string of Top Ten singles, including the phenomenally catchy Broken Strings with Nelly Furtado.