An acclaimed singer-songwriter, DeGraw is kicking off his North American Fall Tour later this month with fellow musician Andy Grammer. “Andy is a great musician, a great guy and a great entertainer. Our tour will start next week, and we both have singles out now,” DeGraw said. “I’ve toured with Andy before and we’ve played everywhere.”
In addition, DeGraw has a new partnership with Curio – a Collection by Hilton, which is known for its emphasis on providing travelers truly local and unique experiences, in an effort to share Insider Travel Guides with music and travel fans to experience the best of select cities on his tour. “The reason I was drawn to this particular brand is their independent owners, and the thought they have put in their brand. They have a bunch of hotels around the country, and a handful of those cities that I am going on this tour, have hotels with a lot of character in them. We put together a group of hotels that we recommend to stay at when I am performing in town. There are hotels like that all over the country. We put together a 48-hour itinerary and the things you can do in those places, such as lunch, breakfast, or happy hour drinks. I thought it would be cool for my fans that these places existed,” he said.
DeGraw will be offering a rare glimpse into his life on social media as part of the partnership, and he will be offering concert ticket giveaways.
On October 13, DeGraw and Grammer will be performing at Hammerstein Ballroom in the heart of New York City. “I haven’t been there in years. What a cool venue Hammerstein is,” he said.
Each day, DeGraw is motivated by his desire to have people remember that he was here. When asked to reflect upon the last decade, he said, “I see a whole bunch of little mistakes, and then a few big victories.” “The fact is that you need to tumble along the way to have the moments that really turn into the the highlights,” he said.
DeGraw praised The Paramount in Huntington as one of his “favorite venues” in the country. “They have been so good to me. They are really like family. They built a great local spot and they know how to treat the artists. The Paramount is so cool, and a great, independent structure. They totally understand the needs of a travelling artist, and that’s what makes that venue so special. Those guys have been around the block in the music business, and they have spent time with artists, and it’s not just a corporate model,” he said.
He hailed country songstress Martina McBride as an amazing artist, and they had the good fortune to sing a duet together for her Everlasting album, where they paid homage to Sam Cooke with “Bring It On Home to Me.” “Her singing is so good. When I first met her, I was in her husband’s studio in Nashville, and Martina came in and said hi to us. Obviously, I kept in touch with them, and when I found out she was putting together the Everlasting album, I wanted to be on it. We recorded it, and she has been a great friend and ally ever since,” he said. “Last time I played the Ryman Auditorium, we sang ‘Solider’ together. When she came out, she blew me away. I was overwhelmed, because I didn’t know that she even knew my music. I was so flattered.”
“Success means doing what you love to do for a living, and to have family that loves you unconditionally and supports you, and gives you honest guidance,” he said. “I am the luckiest guy in the world. I have fans who have literally been with me since day one. They do that from the purest place, and having that kind of affection from your fan-base, is something that nobody could ever buy,” he said, graciously.
For more information on singing sensation Gavin DeGraw, his music and his upcoming tour dates, check out his official website.
