T. Graham Brown

T. Graham Brown
Background information
Birth name	Anthony Graham Brown
Born	(1954-10-30) October 30, 1954[1] Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Genres	Country, Gospel, Soul
Occupation(s)	Singer/Songwriter/Producer
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1973–present
Labels	Capitol, Intersound, Madacy, Compendia, Aspirion, Mansion/SONY/RED]]
Associated acts	Tanya Tucker, Vince Gill, Trace Adkins, Leon Russell, George Jones, Jason Crabb
Website	www.tgrahambrown.com

T. Graham Brown (born October 30, 1954), born Anthony Graham Brown, is a Grammy nominated American country/soul/gospel, singer/songwriter/producer . Active since 1973, Brown has recorded fifteen albums, and has charted more than twenty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. Three of these singles — "Hell and High Water" and "Don't Go to Strangers" from 1986, and "Darlene" from 1988 — reached Number One, and eight more reached Top Ten. His "Memphis Women And Chicken" hit number one on the Cashbox Blues chart (2013). He also had two number ones on the Power Source Christian Country chart, the self-penned "Wine Into Water" -1998 (Also named "Song of the Year") and "He'll Take Care Of You" (Duet with Vince Gill) -2015. "Wine Into Water" is also included on Loretta Lynn's acclaimed 2016 album "Full Circle".

Biography

Brown was born in 1954 in Arabi, Georgia.^[2] While attending the University of Georgia, he first performed with Dirk Howell in Athens, Ga. (1973–75) before founding two more Athens bands, "T. Graham Brown and Reo Diamond" (1975-1978) and "T. Graham Brown's Rack of SPAM" (1979-1982). His early recordings were with Athens Producer/Engineer John Keane (R.E.M., Widespread Panic, Government Mule), who was also lead guitarist for the "Rack Of SPAM") He married his wife Sheila in 1980; the couple has a son, Nashville musician/songwriter ( MARJ, The Way Outsiders) Acme Geronimo Brown (born 1989).

Musical career

Brown moved to Nashville in 1982 and found work singing song demos and advertising jingles for companies such as McDonald's, Disneyland, Budweiser, Coors, Stroh's, Almond Joy, Coca Cola, Sears, Dodge Trucks, Ford, Hardee's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, The Nashville Network, B.C.Powders, Dr. Pepper, Mountain Dew, 7-Up, Harrah's and many others. For four years, he appeared in, and sang, all of the Taco Bell "Run For the Border" television spots. Brown also found work in 1982 as a songwriter for E.M.I. Publishing before signing to Capitol Records in 1984. He was with E.M.I. for 13 years.Brown's first release for the label, "Drowning in Memories", peaked at No.39 on the Billboard country charts. His debut album "I Tell It Like It Used To Be"'s title song went to No.7,followed by "I Wish That I Could Hurt That Way Again" No.3, giving way to a pair of number ones, his original song "Hell and High Water"(Single of the Year-1986 Cashbox Magazine) and"Don't Go To Strangers".^[1]

Brown's second album for the label, "Brilliant Conversationalist", followed a year later. It was recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound as was his first album, "I Tell It Like It Used To Be". Although none of its singles went to Number One, it accounted for three more Top Ten hits in its title track, followed by "She Couldn't Love Me Anymore" and "The Last Resort". From that same album, "Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay" was released in Europe. It received enough airplay to open the door for Brown to go there to work with Capitol Records label-mate, Joe Cocker. He has returned to perform, many times since.^[3] A third album, 1988's Come as You Were, produced his third Number One in "Darlene". Then came the No. 7 title track and No. 30 "Never Say Never".

1990 also saw the release of his next album, co-produced with the legendary keyboardist Barry Beckett, ( The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section aka The Swampers) "Bumper to Bumper". This album's lead-off single, "If You Could Only See Me Now", went Top Ten, peaking at No. 6. The other singles were No.18 "Moonshadow Road" and No.53 "I'm Sending One Up for You". That same year, Capitol released a greatest hits package. His next album, also co-produced with Barry Beckett (Bob Dylan, Hank Williams Jr., Etta James) was You Can't Take It with You, and accounted for the No. 31 "With This Ring" before he exited Capitol in 1992.

Brown immediately signed with Warner Brothers Records that same year. An album was recorded, but never released. A stint at SONY/Nashville (1995), working with producer Blake Chancey (Dixie Chicks), again resulted in no album release. In 1996 he produced his first Gospel album entitled "From A Stronger Place". His next project was 1998's lauded (The Chicago Tribune Album Of The Year, USA Today # 5 Album Of The Year) "Wine into Water", co-produced with multiple Grammy Award winning songwriter/producer, Gary Nicholson (Delbert McClinton, Billy Joe Shaver,The Judds, Wynonna, Pam Tillis), on the Intersound label. This album had four more singles for him. The No. 39 (Radio and Records)No. 44 (Billboard) title track was its highest-charting single. He then released the critically acclaimed (USA Today #3 Album Of The Year) "The Next Right Thing"(2003) on Compendia, also co-produced with Nicholson and featuring a duet with his long-time friend, George Jones. Both made many reviewers year-end "Best Album" lists. Those efforts were followed by "The Present" (2005) on Aspirion. There were also two live albums, "T. Graham Brown Lives" (2001), produced by Brown and Dwight McConnell, and "Live At Billy Bob's"(2004). He won a C.M.A.award in 1993 for "Vocal Event of the Year" with George Jones and "Mainstream Country Artist Of The Year"(2015) at the Inspirational Country Music Awards, and has received nominations from both the C.M.A. and the Academy of Country Music. He has appeared on the Grand Ole Opry countless times and is regularly seen on the popular country music television series, "Country's Family Reunion", as well guest-starring on and hosting the "Larry's Country Diner" show. Brown has toured with such country music royalty as George Jones, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Conway Twitty, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, Lorretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, and more. Among his many duet partners through the decades, are Grammy winners George Jones, The Beach Boys, Vince Gill, Jason Crabb, Brad Davis, The Oak Ridge Boys, Delbert McClinton, plus Rock and Roll Hall Of Famers Leon Russell and Michael McDonald. Other acts that have paired with T. Graham include Sonya Isaacs, Leroy Parnell, Jimmy Fortune, Jeannie Seely, Bonnie Bramblett, David Frizzell, LuLu Roman, Jeff and Sheri Easter, Suzy Boggus and even Tony award winning, Broadway, recording, and movie star, Carol Channing, who was 94 years young when she sang "Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree (With Anyone Else But Me)" with Brown In 2012.^[4] In 1990 he had a C.M.A. Nominated hit duet, "Don't Go Out", with Tanya Tucker. In 2012, Brown appeared on the Country/Gospel album^[5]"Working On A Building" featuring a quartet version of the title song with Marty Raybon, Jimmy Fortune, and Trace Adkins that was a No. 1 Gospel music video. The album also contains a duet with Brown and Jason Crabb, "All Hail The Power Of Jesus' Name".

In 2014 Brown co-produced, with Mark Carman, the Grammy Nominated album, "Forever Changed", featuring guest appearances by industry giants; Leon Russell, The Oak Ridge Boys, Steve Cropper, Jeff and Sheri Easter, The Booth Brothers, Three Bridges, Jimmy Fortune, Sonya Isaacs, and Jason Crabb.^[6] In July 2014 the first single from the album was released. The song, "He'll Take Care Of You", featuring vocal and guitar performances by country superstar, Vince Gill, went to No. 1 on the Christian-country music charts. 2015 saw Sony/RED/Mansion Entertainment release his first Christmas album, co-produced with Tony Griffeth, titled "Christmas With T. Graham Brown". Brown continues to tour extensively, record, write, and produce.

Discography

Albums

Live albums

Compilation albums

Singles

Guest singles

Music videos

References

External links

• Official website
• T. Graham Brown at the Internet Movie Database