Interview: Gavin DeGraw
5 min read
With a string of successful singles already under his belt and 4 albums into a career as one of country musics brightest stars, Gavin DeGraw is celebrating the release of album number 5. Led by the up-tempo hit Best I Ever Had, new album Make A Move sees Gavin adopt a much more commercial sound than previous records as he delivers his finest record to date.
Busy promoting the album which is released globally this week, Gavin took some time out of his busy schedule while in Nashville recently to talk to Renowned For Sound about his latest catalogue addition, his biggest influences and his views on a career that is on a steady incline. Here is what Gavin had to tell us:
Brendon Veevers: How are you Gavin and where does our interview find you today?
Gavin DeGraw: Hello! I’m currently in Nashville doing some phone interviews talking about the album release.
BV: You performed at St Pancras Hotel over in London recently – how was the show?
GD: The show was great I thought. It’s been to long since I’ve been able to play in London and it seemed like everyone was enjoying themselves. I love playing small venues like that because I’m able to hop right off stage and just hang out with everyone.
BV: Your new single is called Best I Ever Had. Can you tell us a little about the track and the inspiration behind the single?
GD: I wrote the song with my friend Martin Johnson and we were sitting around one day in the studio and he had played me this jangly acoustic guitar part just screwing around and he said, “why don’t you just start singing, anything!”. I just started this stream of consciousness type of lyrics, which ultimately became the song. I think it mixes a lot of thoughts into it and hopefully takes people for a nice ride.
BV: The track is the first to be lifted from Make A Move, your new studio album which released this week. Can you tell us a bit about the new record and what fans who haven’t heard the record yet can expect?
GD: I’m not exactly sure what people should expect or are expecting from me. On my last record, I co wrote a few tracks with some friends of mine, but this album is all co writes. This gave me a chance to encompass a lot of different sounds and angles on this album that are definitely new to me, but not so new that I had to completely step out of my comfort zone. Working with so many writers, allowed me to dive into a lot of different topics and incorporate a bunch of different music styles, all the while staying within what I feel is my wheelhouse.
BV: Who have been the biggest influences for you in terms of wanting to become a recording and touring artist and for what reason do you regard them as your biggest influences?
GD: I think my parents and my brother are my biggest influences. They gave me the confidence to go out and do it and growing up in such a musical family that all believe in each other was an incredible platform to start from.
BV: If you could collaborate with any other artist, dead or alive, who would it be and what kind of collaboration would you like to see happen?
GD: Wow, that is really hard. There are so many, I can’t really name one. My musical influences are so diverse, that this really could come from any number of the genres I grew up listening to from classic country, to old R&B, to classic rock, etc.
BV: What is it that you enjoy the most out of doing the job that you do?
GD: I enjoy traveling a lot and soaking myself in a lot of different cultures depending on where I’m touring. I also love getting to express myself musically, and I’m really lucky to have amazing fans, family, friends, and my team to help me enjoy the process.
BV: What would you say is the toughest or most challenging part about being a recording and touring artist?
GD: This is tough, but I would say probably just having to miss some of the personal family stuff because your on the road like weddings, birthdays, etc.
BV: What do think you you would be doing today if it wasn’t for a career making music?
GD: I always wanted to be an ophthalmologist , so maybe I would be doing that?
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BV: Did you grow up in a musical family?
GD: Definitely! Lots of musicians and singers in my immediate family
BV: You seem to be on the road quite a lot these days, particularly in the lead up to your new album, something that is routine with each album release. Do you get to see your family much or have them join you on the road at all?
GD: I don’t see them as much as if I had a 9-5 desk job, but they do try and come out on the road as much as they can, which is always nice.
BV: Would you say that you are a perfectionist when it comes to putting a new record together or does spontaneity and improv play a bigger role in the creative process for you?
GD: I think I’m a little bit of both. It’s hard not to want to sit there and continue to work on songs, but at a certain point, you just have to feel good about what you’ve created and move on.
BV: Where do you draw inspiration from when writing new material – do you find there are certain topics that need more attention than others or that are easier to write about?
GD: I tend to write about what I see around me. Sure, some songs are autobiographical, but a lot of times, I pick up on what is happening with my friends, family, and now with co writing this album with other people, it’s about what they pick up on in their daily lives as well.
BV: Is there a tour in the pipeline to promote Best I Ever Had and Make A Move?
GD: Absolutely! We’ll probably be in the UK sometime this Spring!
BV: What else is on the Gavin DeGraw calendar for the rest of the year that fans can look forward to?
GD: Touring, Touring, Touring!
Gavin’s DeGraw’s new album Make A Move is out worldwide this week.
::: RenownedForSound.com’s Editor and Founder –
Interviewing and reviewing the best in new music and globally recognized artists is his passion.
Over the years he has been lucky enough to review thousands of music releases and concerts and interview artists ranging from top selling superstars like 27-time Grammy Award winner Alison Krauss, Boyz II Men, Roxette, Cyndi Lauper, Lisa Loeb and iconic Eagles front man/songwriter, Glenn Frey through to more recent successes including Newton Faulkner, Janelle Monae and Caro Emerald.
Brendon manages and coordinates the amazing team of writers on RenownedForSound.com who are based in the UK, the U.S and Australia.
