Introducing Gavin Degraw

With Gavin Degraw, you are getting more than just a singer. At 25, Degraw is a musical renaissance man. His talents go on like an overachiever's college resume. He is an artist who sings his own lyrics while trying to choose whether to play the notes on his piano or his guitar.

Gavin DeGraw's music is emotionally intense yet understandable. His abundant talent creates a platform for him to express his insightful ideals of love. Degraw produces lyrics of powerful meaning that will influence everyone's life today, tomorrow, and the rest of the days to come.

Growing up in a musical family in upstate New York, Degraw began singing and playing the piano at the age of eight. As a teenager, Degraw's musical inspirations revolved around the talented Ray Charles and Sam Cooke. Once he reached high school, his brother inspired him to begin creating his own lyrics and music.

After finding himself sitting in his dorm room creating lyrics instead of attending class, Degraw dropped out of Ithaca College after one semester and, then, Berklee College of Music after two. He, then, returned home to work various manual jobs while planning a trip to New York City to pursue his musical dream. In 1998, he relocated to Manhattan and began to experience gradual success.

Within months, he was noticed by his manager at an open-mic night and began to make a name for himself throughout the New York club circuit. Either with his piano or guitar, Degraw would perform unforgettable live shows of moving renditions to classic tunes such as Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" and Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah."

With a dedicated fan base and an unwavering reputation, he eventually signed a record deal and released an independent CD, Gavin Live. He then signed with J Records and recorded his debut album, Chariot.

All 11 tracks of Chariot leave listeners feeling touched and a little emotional. Songs like "Follow Through" and "Just Friends" are a personal exploration of thought and love. His lyrics make you feel what he feels and makes you sing along to what he is singing. However, his music is not only about the lyrics. His music placement also makes each songs speak volumes. His talent behind both the piano and guitar is what makes each song truly remarkable.

Degraw's talent is not fleeting. His lyrics and musical performances on Chariot do not make him the "next big thing," but this is a good thing. Artists that fall under this category do not last. The "next big things" have talent that disappears in a few years after their music becomes outdated. Then, they become "the thing that was" or even worse, "the has-beens." His talent is too great for this bleak ending. In my opinion, he is an artist successfully riding his chariot toward a bright musical future.