JON DEE GRAHAM

(Blue Rose Records)

"Musiker des Jahres" wird man bei den Austin Music Awards nicht einfach so. Mit einer Reibeisen-Stimme zwischen Chapmann und Waits kann Singer/Songwriter Jon Dee sowohl introvertierte Weltanschauungen mit viel Gefühl verbreiten, als auch mit brachialer Kraft seine Gefühle in die Ohrmuscheln seiner Hörer prügeln. Auf Full finden sich 12 Songs, die mit ihrer natürlichen Ursprünglichkeit überzeugen.
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Singer, songwriter and guitarist John Dee Graham is a native Texan with a deep, eclectic musical history. The writer Don Henry Ford Jr. describes Jon Dee Graham as “unvarnished, raw and gritty.” He can sing soft introspective songs or he can blow you out of your seat with pounding rock and roll. April, 2006 marks Graham’s return to independence with the CD release of Full on Freedom Records, Graham’s 5th solo release. He was voted “Musician of the Year” at the Austin Music Awards during the 2006 South By Southwest Music Conference.

Critics have high praise for Graham: Richard Skanse of Rolling Stone describes Graham as being “ferocious with primal roar as human as he grapples everyman’s struggle.”
“A master songwriter and guitarist, Graham creates tales of truth and hope.” - Austin Chronicle
“[Graham’s] gravelly voice continues to age like a fine wine, his songwriting reigns supreme, his music is a standard hoisted in the name of maturity without compromise.” — High Bias
“[Jon Dee has] channels into John Updike territory and, in the process, delivered the most complete album of his solo career.” — Houston Press
Jon Dee Graham is a combination of solid musicianship, salt-of-the-earth songwriting with a gravelly-voiced delivery.”- Michael Corcoran, Austin American Statesman.

Full was produced by Mike Stewart (Poi Dog Pondering) and features Andrew DuPlantis (Son Volt) on bass, Michael Hardwick (Eliza Gilkyson) on guitars and John Chipman on drums. Many critics, such as Andy Langer (Esquire, News 8 Austin), are already praising Full, calling it Graham’s best record yet.

Jon Dee Graham was born in Levelland, Texas, the second son of a high plains cotton farmer. When he was six years old, his family relocated to the town of Quemado, near the Mexican-Texas border, where he lived until he was 17, when he moved to Austin after his father went to the lonesome valley.

Graham toured with The Skunks and the guitar army The True Believers in the ‘80s and has gone on touring, writing, recording, and producing with artists such as John Hiatt, The Gourds, Patti Smyth, Darden Smith, Simon Bonney, Ryan Hedgecock of Lone Justice, Michelle Shocked, John Doe, Exene Cervenka, Kelly Willis, Trish Murphy, Kacy Crowley, Calvin Russell, Lou Ann Barton and Dan Stuart of Blue on Red, among others.

After living for almost a decade in Los Angeles with his ex-wife Sally Norvell (Congo Norvell) and his son Roy, Graham moved back to Austin in 1997. He is now married to a college professor in Austin, with whom he has another son, Willie, who recently was diagnosed with the rare bone disease Legg-Perthes.
Some people hide what they are and the things they have done from the world. Jon Dee Graham isn’t one of those. No, he opens his heart, mind and soul for all daring to peer inside. What you see won’t be the prettiest picture in the world, but it’ll be the truth.

Jon Dee bears scars—the scars of a warrior caught in a world gone mad—the scars of a man that took a deep drink of life on the rough side of town and survived. He’s made of stern stuff. At his core lives a pure heart and a clean spirit. You’ll find few in the world of music with greater empathy for the people.
In 2005, Graham found himself back on tour with ex-band member of The True Believers, Alejandro Escovedo, opening acoustically and playing electrically with Al, supporting Graham’s EP, First Bear on the Moon. He ended 2005 touring solo acoustically in Europe and recording with John Cale for Escovedo’s upcoming release.

Graham has settled into his own solo career as well as a brilliant side project as a member of Austin's beloved The Resentments, featuring Graham, Stephen Bruton, Scrappy Jud Newcomb, Bruce Hughes, and John Chipman. Cracked, raspy, passionate and endearing, Graham's voice is his most recognizable trademark.

The music of Jon Dee Graham has been highlighted in the feature film, Ladder 49, and the television series, Veronica Mars. The Blue Rose label releases Full in Europe on May 5. Graham will be spending 2006 touring and supporting Full in the United States and Europe.

Freedom Records: P.O. Box 4084, Austin, TX 78765 / (512) 560-8826
Web Site:www.freedomrecords.com />
Distributed By: City Hall, 101 Glacier Point, Suite C, San Rafael, CA 94901

Publicity Contact: Mark Pucci Media (770) 804-9555 / mpmedia@bellsouth.net
Web Site:www.markpuccimedia.com />

Website
http://www.jondeegraham.com />
Discography
FULL - 2006 (Freedom)
Big Sweet Life: The Songs of Jon Dee Graham - 2005 (Freedom)
First Bear On The Moon - 2005 (Freedom)
The Great Battle - 2004 (New West)
Hooray For The Moon - 2002 (New West)
Summerland - 1999 (New West)
Escape From Monster Island - 1997 (Freedom)

Singer/Songwriter
›› SALIM NOURALLAH ›› GINA VILLALOBOS ›› MARKUS RILL ›› NAKED RAVEN ›› STEPHIN MERRITT ›› SALIM NOURALLAH ›› DAVID FRIDLUND ›› WINTERPILLS ›› ADEM ›› PETER EKLAS ›› ENDRICK BROTHERS ›› JOSH ROUSE ›› GEOFF FARINA ›› JACK JOHNSON AND FRIENDS ›› TRES CHICAS ›› TOM BROSSEAU ›› V.A. ›› JOAN BAEZ ›› JOSH RITTER ›› POHLMANN. ›› VAN MORRISON ›› V. A. ›› GEKA ›› ISOBEL CAMPBELL & MARK LANEGAN ›› ANT ›› NICK HARPER ›› V.A. ›› PETER BRUNTNELL ›› BJÖRN KLEINHENZ ›› PIETA BROWN ›› MARTHA WAINWRIGHT ›› JEFFREY & JACK LEWIS ›› THE STRAYS