Gavin DeGraw

Bio:

Singer/songwriter Gavin DeGraw grew up playing music at home with piano studies beginning at eight and later playing in cover bands with his older brother in upstate New York. After a brief stint studying music at the prestigious Berklee School of Music, DeGraw, who had been writing his own songs since his cover band days, decided to make a go of it as a singer/songwriter in New York City. Upon his arrival in the late '90s, DeGraw made an impression with crowds, and occasionally with journalists, as his name began to pop up in columns and best-of lists. The steady buzz led to offers from major labels, but DeGraw chose to take his time, and let his craft develop and his audience grow. He eventually signed a record deal with Clive Davis and his J Records imprint (home of Santana as well as R&B mainstays Alicia Keys and Angie Stone). DeGraw's debut, Chariot, arrived in the summer of 2003 and, like his early days in New York City, it slowly built momentum and earned the young singer a small but fervent following. By 2004, its first single, "I Don't Wanna Be," had become a Top 40 number one hit, and the album was re-released in a form that augmented the original album with a made-over acoustic version, billed as Chariot -- Stripped. DeGraw's next single, "Chariot," was also met with positive response and climbed the charts in 2005. - Wade Kergan, All Music Guide

Quotes:
“You can feel the excitement and sense of possibility in everyone who picks up an instrument, whether they are my age or my dad's age. Walk into your local music store, and you will see dreams developing for people of all ages and backgrounds. Music has changed my life, are you ready to let it change yours? Seeing the friendly, familiar face of my local musical instrument retailer not only provides personal attention, it gives me a sense of community. A music store provides a place for people to come together to talk about playing music, learn about community groups and events, and challenge and inspire each other. Music has been my airline ticket to a new world of possibilities. To play music, I don't need any money in my pocket, or a good pair of sneakers, or anyone else around. I never even planned on having an audience, it just worked out that way.”