Graham Wilkinson performing at the Nutty Brown Amphitheatre in Austin, Texas on May 14, 2021, with Katie Shore and Graham Wilkinson. (Photo: Ralph Arvesen)
Born in Texas, the son of a preacher and school teacher, Graham Wilkinson was raised on the importance of family and service to others. Over the last 12 years, Wilkinson has independently booked himself to the sum of nearly 200 shows a year, while also being a dedicated father, husband and family man of three wonderful daughters (one out of college as well as twin ten year olds) and one sweet rescue dog. The line in his song “Laugh Until Life Makes Sense” sums up a message of positivity and love that Wilkinson strives to exemplify and share through his music and home life.
The single "FOCUS" off of his 2011 release "The Spiritual Accessories EP" made it all the way to MTV.com and remained the number one most shared, most commented on, and most viewed for over a week; all done as a completely independent, unsigned artist. All of this is on the foundation of his 2009 release "YEARBOOK" which featured Alejandro Escovedo and Hayes Carll. In 2014, Wilkinson was one of the inaugural nominees and recipient of Black Fret’s local artist grant program, allowing him to really go all out with his next work in progress, “#BecauseOfYou.” This album was released in June of 2016, and leans heavily upon his reggae influences while combining them with his love for rock n' roll and hip-hop. It features Adrian Quesada of Groupo Fantasma (and currently the multi GRAMMY-nominated Black Pumas), Trevor Nealon from Band of Heathens, the Tijuana Trainwreck Horns of Shinyribs, as well as a rootsy, folk-country duet with Katie Shore; the fiddle player from Asleep At The Wheel.
In 2017, Wilkinson was selected to be in a new documentary for PBS about Albert E. Brumley, who wrote "I'll Fly Away." Albert's granddaughter who runs their nonprofit asked artists from across the globe to put into song his notebooks of words that have no music. The documentary was filmed in Austin, Arkansas & Nashville with collaborating artists Jim Lauderdale, Dawn & Hawkes, as well as others from Austin, England, Nashville, Australia and more. Two documentaries were released, one in the US and one in Australia. In between recording, family time, and touring Wilkinson has opened for such national acts as G. Love, Trevor Hall, The Gourds, Johnathan Tyler & the Northern Lights, Soul Rebels Brass Band, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Hayes Carll, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Greg Brown, Alejandro Escovedo and dear friend Kimya Dawson.
"Graham put on an awesome show as always!"Graham Wilkinson shared the stage with Hayes Carll and Lisa Morales at the Nutty Brown Amphitheatre. They continue across the United States with the last stop at the Far Out Lounge in Austin, Texas on May 30, 2021.
"Graham is like no other musician on the scene with charisma in spades and the songs to match. Graham will make you think, drink, dance, maybe even kiss a stranger."
"Imagine if Bruce Springsteen fronted an 'up-and-coming' indie band. Then imagine if they lived in So-Cal for a few years, picking up a pair of ears for the surrounding sounds. And then they moved to Texas."
Graham Wilkinson
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Photos by Ralph Arvesen
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