Music Discovery: singer-songwriter Nathan Graham

Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Graham spent a decade in the Chicago music scene backing blues bands, but it took some strong advice from his mother to finally give him the confidence to focus on his own music. “All you have to do is open your mouth, and project,” his mother told him.

And project is an understatement when it comes to his debut single “Pride.”

I’m stealing time, telling lies, promise you I’m fine. Don’t you worry over me.
Say one more night, one more year, one more mile.
Until I can find my own way, until I’m free.
I will always let my pride get the best of me.

Raw, soulful, and honest, “Pride” describes a feeling we’ve all had at some point in our lives – even if we don’t admit it – and it’s a feeling that’s never easy to deal with.

Graham says he hopes to bring people together with his music.

 “I wrote a record about the human condition of having anxiety, having feelings of love and being scared to lose that, or scared that you’re going to screw it up somehow—or they’re going to screw it up somehow,” he says. “I want the audience to go on that journey with me. To sometimes be sad, and sometimes be joyful. I want us all to be walking through that journey with each other.”

There’s nothing wrong with straightforward rock ’n roll! Graham blends his melodies with a great lead guitar, smooth piano, and easy to relate to lyrics with a distinct voice to deliver them. Songs don’t need to have all these fancy bells and whistles to be good, are they honest? Do they convey a feeling? That’s what you get with this song.

“I’m writing about universal experiences,” he says. “I’m writing music to connect my story to yours, show you all that we have in common, and maybe help both of us feel less alone.”

“Pride” is loud, it’s fast, and it hits you right away. Don’t let anyone tell you there’s no good rock music anymore! You just need to find it, Nathan Graham’s “Pride” is as good as it gets when it comes to mixing blues, soul, and good old fashion rock n’ roll!

Nathan Graham releases his debut album, Saint of Second Chances, on Oct. 20.