In the late '90s, James made a splash with her three highly-acclaimed releases, Life Between Two Worlds, Shocking Pink Banana Seat and the double-LP Fantastic Voyage. An incredible singer and an accomplished guitarist, James was hand-selected for tours with Bob Weir's Ratdog and Lindsey Buckingham. Los Angeles Times said, "James' long blond hair and folk-based songs have caused her to be compared to Joni Mitchell. The inventiveness of her eight-song set, however, showed that James is perhaps most like Mitchell because she is like no one else."

Highways, Ghosts, Hearts and Home features 11 original songs by James, who has expanded her lyrical and musical reach through a psychedelic, country-folk lens, with lyrics addressing life, love, hope, colorful characters, ghost stories and good times from the viewpoint of a mature woman.

For the new recording, James produced and once again surrounded herself with stellar musicians including: Paul Lacques, Paul Marshall and Shawn Nourse, all of the L.A. country outfit I See Hawks In LA, performing on all tracks; Gabe Witcher of Punch Brothers on fiddle; and Danny McGough of Shivaree on Hammond B3. It was recorded at Nourse by Northwest Studios in L.A. by Shawn Nourse (Dwight Yoakam, Rosie Flores) with additional recording at Fully's Studio in Topanga, CA, by Fulton Dingley (Stereolab, Kula Shaker, Gomez). Dingley also mixed the CD, with additional mixing by Ryan Ulyate (Tom Petty). The CD was mastered by Joe Gastwirt Mastering (Beach Boys, Tom Petty, Crosby, Stills and Nash).