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T. Graham Brown
Guest Artist
T. Graham Brown rose to country stardom through the uniquely Southern phenomenon of beach music, a party-ready mix of old-time rock & roll, rhythm and blues, and country. Born in Arabi, Ga., he got his start performing while attending the University of Georgia as part of the beach-music duo Dirk & Tony (taken from his actual first name, Anthony). He then joined the outlaw country band Reo Diamond, and retooled his image as a hairy, tattooed wild man in a ten-gallon hat. Moving on in 1979, Brown formed his own R&B band, Rack of Spam, and officially settled on T. Graham Brown as his stage name.
He moved to Nashville three years later, where, with the help of Harlan Howard, he found work singing demos and commercial jingles. Meanwhile, he also landed a deal as a recording artist with Capitol where he released his debut album, I Tell It Like It Used to Be, in 1986. Partly recorded at Alabama's legendary Muscle Shoals studios, the record spawned a No. 1 country single in "Hell or High Water." Both the title track and "I Wish That I Could Hurt That Way Again" entered the Top 10. Brilliant Conversationalist gave Brown a second No. 1 in 1987 with "Don't Go to Strangers" along with two more Top 10 hits-"She Couldn't Love Me Anymore" and the title track. Meanwhile, he made appearances in the 1987 films Greased Lightning and Cursed. The following year, his band, the Hardtops, played Elvis' band in Heartbreak Hotel. He released Come as You Were in 1988 which featured the chart-topping "Darlene" and two additional Top 10 songs-the title track and "The Last Resort." In the 1990s, he landed "If You Could Only See Me Now" in the Top 10 and also recorded a duet with Tanya Tucker on the hit "Don't Go Out." He released the album You Can't Take It with You in 1991.
Brown also struggled with alcoholism, a battle he won. He made a triumphant return in 1998 with Wine into Water, which marked his most personal effort to date by declaring his personal struggle and ability to overcome his addiction. The concert album T. Graham Brown Lives! was released in 2001.
Latest CD
Deja Vu All Over Again: The Best of T. Graham Brown