Tommy Graham (singer)
Encyclopedia
Tommy Graham is a singer and record producer
from Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
.
in 1960 and returned to Canada three years later. He formed the group Big Town Boys, which gained prominence as backing musicians for vocalist Shirley Matthews.
Big Town Boys split in 1968 and Graham went to journey around the world. In India, he met and studied under Ali Akbar Khan
, Ravi Shankar
's sarode player. In 1970 Graham returned to Toronto where he began working for producer Brian Ahearn. He contributed playing many instruments on Anne Murray
's hit Snowbird
and here first 4 LP's.
Capitol
producer Paul White gave Graham the opportunity to record for the label. Tommy Graham's debut album, "Planet Earth" was released in 1972. The only charting single from the album was a cover of Neil Young
's After the Gold Rush
.
Continuing in the 70's and 80's, Graham started producing albums as well as contributing as a studio musician for many artists, such as Bruce Cockburn
, Brent Titcomb
and many more.... In 1980 he started computer graphics company that pioneered a new process of high resolution computer graphics to film. This was before the advent of Mac's and PC's.
Starting 1993 Graham has resumed his career in music full time. He traveled to the islands of Trinidad and Tobago
, Ecuador
and Colombia
, and Argentina, where he recorded indigenous as well as New Age
inspired interpretative and progressive Andean music, while continuing his work as a producer/engineer.
In 2008, Amorphous Androgynous featured Tommy Graham's recording of Brent Titcomb's song, Sahajiya on their compilation mix album A Monstrous Psychedelic Bubble Exploding in Your Mind: Volume 1
.
He continues to this day recording and producing music internationally.
with the Big Town Boys (aka BTB4)
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
from Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Life
Graham joined his first band in 1958. He worked his way through the Toronto club scene with Kay Taylor And The Regents. He moved to Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in 1960 and returned to Canada three years later. He formed the group Big Town Boys, which gained prominence as backing musicians for vocalist Shirley Matthews.
Big Town Boys split in 1968 and Graham went to journey around the world. In India, he met and studied under Ali Akbar Khan
Ali Akbar Khan
Ali Akbar Khan , often referred to as Khansahib or by the title Ustad , was a Hindustani classical musician of the Maihar gharana, known for his virtuosity in playing the sarod...
, Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar , often referred to by the title Pandit, is an Indian musician and composer who plays the plucked string instrument sitar. He has been described as the best known contemporary Indian musician by Hans Neuhoff in Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart.Shankar was born in Varanasi and spent...
's sarode player. In 1970 Graham returned to Toronto where he began working for producer Brian Ahearn. He contributed playing many instruments on Anne Murray
Anne Murray
Morna Anne Murray CC, ONS is a Canadian singer in pop, country and adult contemporary styles whose albums have sold over 54 million copies....
's hit Snowbird
Snowbird (song)
"Snowbird" is a song by the Canadian songwriter Gene MacLellan. Though it has been recorded by many performers , it is best known through Anne Murray's 1970 version, which launched her into a long career of international exposure. It was a #2 hit on Canada's pop chart and went to #1 on both the...
and here first 4 LP's.
Capitol
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
producer Paul White gave Graham the opportunity to record for the label. Tommy Graham's debut album, "Planet Earth" was released in 1972. The only charting single from the album was a cover of Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
's After the Gold Rush
After the Gold Rush (song)
"After the Gold Rush" is a song written by Neil Young from the 1970 album of the same name. In addition to After the Gold Rush, it also appears on Decade, Greatest Hits and Live Rust....
.
Continuing in the 70's and 80's, Graham started producing albums as well as contributing as a studio musician for many artists, such as Bruce Cockburn
Bruce Cockburn
Bruce Douglas Cockburn OC is a Canadian folk/rock guitarist and singer-songwriter. His most recent album was released in March 2011. He has written songs in styles ranging from folk to jazz-influenced rock to rock and roll.-Biography:...
, Brent Titcomb
Brent Titcomb
Brent Arthur Titcomb is a Canadian actor and musician. He played the voice of Sleazy, Mok's sidekick, in 1983's Rock & Rule, and additional voices for the The Care Bears Movie in 1985. His son is singer Liam Titcomb...
and many more.... In 1980 he started computer graphics company that pioneered a new process of high resolution computer graphics to film. This was before the advent of Mac's and PC's.
Starting 1993 Graham has resumed his career in music full time. He traveled to the islands of Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
, Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
and Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, and Argentina, where he recorded indigenous as well as New Age
New Age
The New Age movement is a Western spiritual movement that developed in the second half of the 20th century. Its central precepts have been described as "drawing on both Eastern and Western spiritual and metaphysical traditions and then infusing them with influences from self-help and motivational...
inspired interpretative and progressive Andean music, while continuing his work as a producer/engineer.
In 2008, Amorphous Androgynous featured Tommy Graham's recording of Brent Titcomb's song, Sahajiya on their compilation mix album A Monstrous Psychedelic Bubble Exploding in Your Mind: Volume 1
A Monstrous Psychedelic Bubble Exploding In Your Mind: Volume 1
A Monstrous Psychedelic Bubble Exploding In Your Mind: Volume 1 is a 2008 compilation album with selections by Amorphous Androgynous It was released on CD in November 2008. It is an extensive compilation mix album featuring a wide variety of artists, selected and mixed by the duo...
.
He continues to this day recording and producing music internationally.
Albums
| Year | Album | CAN |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Planet Earth | 67 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN AC | CAN Country | |||
| 1970 | "Things Ya Say" | 21 | — | Planet Earth |
| "24 Hours from Tulsa" | — | 2 | single only | |
| 1971 | "Sahajiya" | — | — | Planet Earth |
| 1972 | "After the Gold Rush After the Gold Rush (song) "After the Gold Rush" is a song written by Neil Young from the 1970 album of the same name. In addition to After the Gold Rush, it also appears on Decade, Greatest Hits and Live Rust.... " |
— | — | |
| 1973 | "Now and Then" | 55 | — | |
| "My Happy Song" | 73 | — | singles only | |
| 1974 | "Sea Cruise" | — | — |
Collaborations
with Shirley Matthews (featuring the Big Town Boys)- 1963 Big Town Boy (Tamarac)
- 1964 Private Property (Tamarac)
with the Big Town Boys (aka BTB4)
- 1965 Put You Down (Tamarac)
- 1965 It Was I (Tamarac)
- 1965 I Love Her So (Tamarac)
- 1966 Hey Girl Go It Alone (Tamarac)
- 1966 My Babe (Tamarac)
- 1967 Do It To 'Em (Tamarac)
- 1967 Jack Rabbit (Tamarac)