Gavin DeGraw has accomplished several musical triumphs since his first national album “Chariot,” debuted in 2003.
From composing and performing several hit singles — including 2003’s “I Don’t Want To Be” used as the theme song for television show “One Tree Hill — to selling millions of albums worldwide, the 32-year-old singer-songwriter said he still loves touring and entertaining fans with the music he loves.
In an e-mail interview, DeGraw answered questions about his success and his plans for the future.
Q: What you have been up to in the past few months? Do you have any upcoming singles, albums or tour dates planned?
GD: I have been really busy writing my next record. I hope to start touring it sometime this spring or early summer.
Q: How much of an honor is it for you to be the headlining act for the Centennial Concert celebrating the University’s 100th anniversary?
GD: It’s a huge honor actually. Playing the 100th anything is a big deal. I know there are a lot of people doing what I do, that guys could have chosen, so that is a great feeling knowing I was the one tapped to perform.
I get to come out and play with my band for a couple of hours on stage, which is always a blast! Plus, I’ve played a lot of shows with Michelle Branch before and it’s always nice to share the stage with her.
Q: Have you ever been to Bowling Green before? If you have, what can you remember about your previous experiences? If not, what are you looking forward to most?
GD: I don’t think I have ever been to Bowling Green before, but I love playing on college campuses. I left college to pursue a music career, and it’s funny how my career brought me back to colleges. I do like to soak in the atmosphere and personality of campuses and the towns where those campuses are located.
Q: Do you have any rituals, traditions or superstitions you do before starting a show?
GD: Haha. Not really. I like to save all of my energy for the show, so usually my tour manager has to wake me up from a nap before I go on stage.
This kind of goes along with the last question, but I really like to get out and see the towns before the show. Go to a local coffee shop, record shop, etc. and experience the culture. This gives me a good idea of the type of crowd I will have each night.
Q: What New Year’s resolutions have you made entering 2010?
GD: To give the best e-mail interviews I have ever given!
Q: You described your third album “FREE” as a “raw, organic-sounding collection of songs” on your Web site. Can you explain how much of a different sound “FREE” has compared to your first two studio albums?
GD: That quote really sums up the sound of this record. I went into the studio for 2 weeks, with some really great musicians. We sat around day and night, didn’t over think anything, and just laid the songs down.
Q: “FREE” only took two weeks to record. How can an album be put together in such a short amount of time? And how was it working with a producer like Camus Celli?
GD: It depends on what kind of record you want to make. With “FREE”, I only wanted to give myself a short period of time to do it, because it was going to force me to make the record I was going for.
I wouldn’t have wanted to make my self titled record that fast, because I wouldn’t have gotten the sounds and vibe I was looking for. Camus is great. We actually worked together before my first record came out. He shares a lot of the same visions as I do when it comes to making records, so it was a great partnership.
Q: Who are your biggest inspirations — both in music and in life?
GD: In life, it has to be my family, specifically my parents and siblings. In music, I have so many … in no particular order … Willie Nelson, Sam Cooke, The Beatles, Donnie Hathaway, George Jones, Billy Joel, man … the list could go on forever …
Q: You are most known for top-charting hits such as “In Love with a Girl,” “Chariot” and “I Don’t Want to Be.” Do these songs hold a special meaning to you due to their popularity or does each song you write and record hold its own significance?
GD: I’m sure you have heard me say this before, but all of my songs are like my children (no, I don’t have children). But if I did, I would love them all, and you can’t love one more than the other. Sure, the songs that resonate the most with my fans are very special to me, because they create a different kind of energy when I play them live, but I am really proud of each one of my songs on all my records.
Q: What are your upcoming plans for the summer? What are you looking forward to most entering 2010?
GD: My plans for this summer is to have another record out that I am out promoting and touring on. I love touring, so as soon as this one is ready to go, I will release it, and hopefully stay on the road for a couple of years crisscrossing the world playing my music for people.
Q: If you had to collaborate with any other musician, who would you do it with and why?
GD: Man, there are so many. I think I would love to collaborate with any of my influences that I listed above. The question is, would they collaborate with me?
