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GRAHAM
COLTON BAND |
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REVIEWS, FEATURES |
GRAHAM COLTON BAND NAB SECOND LEG OF KELLY CLARKSON NORTH AMERICAN TOUR What do the Counting Crows, Dave Matthews Band, The Wallflowers, John Mayer, Guster and Maroon 5 have in common? They’ve all taken Graham Colton Band out on the road in the last two years. With nearly 400 shows under their belts, Graham Colton Band were chosen to open Kelly Clarkson’s sold-out “Breakway” tour this past spring and have now been invited back to perform on the summer leg of her “Hazel Eyes” dates. The 45 city North American trek begins July 6 in Lubbock, TX. Graham Colton’s latest CD Drive has that undeniable rock and roll appeal a la Tom Petty, Oasis, etc. Hear it for yourself as they continue on the road with Kelly all summer long grinding out their powerful live show and their latest single “Killing Me.”
GRAHAM COLTON BAND “Rock and Roll for a new generation” has been the coined phrase that so many agree best describe the Graham Colton Band. A phrase that lead singer/ songwriter/ guitarist Graham Colton jokingly admits is flattering yet ironic considering his inspirations. “I always felt that our band fit more as a part of the mid- 90’s revival of roots-rock,” says Colton”
The band’s major label debut, “Drive” is a collection of songs that instantly conveys that undeniable rock and roll appeal. With memorable melodies and earnest lyrics, GCB has drawn comparisons to artists ranging from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers to Oasis. Produced by Brendan O’Brien (Bruce Springsteen, Black Crowes, Train), “Drive,” reflects a sound that seems to have been absent for so long. After leaving his hometown of Oklahoma City to attend Southern Methodist University, Colton began writing and performing songs in and around the Dallas pubs and coffee houses. It was there that fate and the Internet took Graham and his music to new heights. “I would return to my college dorm room and have e-mails from kids across the country asking where to buy the album,” says Colton. Quickly Colton began recording songs on a shoestring budget for his ever-growing local fan-base and distant admirers. The self-titled demo became a local favorite and began making waves outside the Texas music scene. It wasn’t long before the cd fell into the hands of Adam Duritz (Counting Crows) who quickly asked Graham to support them on their ’02 fall tour. It would prove to be a friendship that would evolve over the next two years of touring and recording. “My being such a fan of Counting Crows, it was a no-brainer that school had to be put on hold,” says Colton. The month long tour put Graham and his newly formed band in front of sold out audiences and fans they didn’t know they had. After the fall stint with Counting Crows and a signed record deal with Strummer recordings/ Universal, dates with John Mayer, Maroon 5, Train, Dave Matthews, and Guster followed proving the band had the ability to connect with all types of listeners.
“We never came off the road after that first tour,” claims Colton. The band had spent the entire year on the road and in the van making new fans and new friends along the way. During their brief time off, they headed to Atlanta to record with acclaimed producer Brendan O’Brien (Bruce Springsteen, Train, Black Crowes). Graham and Co. brought with them live recordings, journal entries, and fragmented songs recorded in motel rooms, sound checks, and back stage areas. The album is a hybrid of early REM, Oasis, and Tom Petty but with modern pop sensibility that has taken the band to places they never imagined. Along with drummer Jordan Elder, bassist Ryan Tallent, guitarist Aben Eubanks, and long time friend pianist John Lancaster, the members of the Graham Colton Band have over 400 shows and a few hundred thousand miles behind them. Taken together, the songs are a collection of musical missives, a series of love and loss notes from the road. They're moments captured in down time between gigs and channeled through songs written backstage, during sound checks, in hotel rooms and the van. They're honest tunes from an honest band, songs that anyone can relate to and everyone can dig. But they’re far from the end of the ride.
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