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Biography

Graham Colton

Lonely Ones

“I’m not the same guy.”

That’s certainly an understatement for Graham Colton. After a major label career, numerous TV appearances and the limiting musical peg of “singer-songwriter,” Colton has gone through a complete reinvention on his new album Lonely Ones.

Credit his reinvention to a few things: Colton’s return to the Oklahoma music scene; a budding friendship with the Flaming Lips; and for his new record, an entirely new approach to songwriting.

Colton’s return to Oklahoma may come as a surprise. The singer admits he initially had to leave his home state to find his footing as a musician. “My dad was in a cover band, but besides that and some open mic nights, I wasn’t exposed to any sort of ‘scene,’” he admits. “I’d just sit around writing songs in my bedroom. It wasn’t until I moved to Dallas that my professional career in music started.”

And while that early career led to success — major label albums (Drive and Here Right Now), performances on The Tonight Show and The Late Show, videos on TRL, tours with everyone from John Mayer to Dave Matthews Band to Maroon Five — there were tradeoffs. A little stifled creativity. The musical designation of being a singer-songwriter, a genre not known for taking risks.

Things changed after Colton’s move back home. There, he met his wife, and re-discovered a thriving music scene…which included a creative friendship with Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips. “Oklahoma has a tremendously active music community,” says Colton. “Wayne and I met at a few functions and hit it off. I started chatting about my past, what the Lips had done, and having these really long, crazy music conversations. Everything really graduated from there.”

Inspired, Colton decided a complete reinvention was in order. “I didn’t have a starting point for this,” he admits. “But I knew I had to grow and do things differently than I had done before.” Eschewing labels, he turned to Kickstarter to connect directly with fans. “I couldn’t do it like I’d done my last two records . I wanted to work with some good friends and record in good studios. This was going to be a record where I wanted the freedom to do something new, without any parameters.”

Now reconnected with Copelin and Evans and ensconced with his family back in Oklahoma, Colton felt comfortable taking chances. And working closely alongside Coyne and Steven Drozd of the Flaming Lips certainly helped radicalize his recording process. “It was completely unlike anything I’d ever done,” says the singer. “It wasn’t a Flaming Lips record, but I borrowed some gear from them and used those guys as a sounding board.”

album: "Here Right Now" (2007)

Telescope

You Find A Way

Best Days

Forget About You

On Your Side

Cellophane Girl

Always In Love

If Love Was Enough

Whatever Breaks My Heart

Take You Back

New Years Resolution

Let It Go

album: "Pacific Coast Eyes" (2011)

Love Comes Back Around

Waiting For Love

Pacific Coast Eyes

1981

Graceland

Twenty Something

Everything You Are

There Comes A Time

You're On Your Way

Suitcase

Our Story (One Day At A Time)

A Day Too Late

Wide Open Inside[Vol. 2 Additional Track]

Hold Onto My Heart[Vol. 2 Additional Track]

My Resignation[Vol. 2 Additional Track]

album: "Lonely Ones" (2014)

Mixed Up

Born To Raise Hell

Summer To Me

Hands Untied

Another Night

Funeral

Til The Night Runs Out

Shoreline

Arms

Before The Fall

other songs:

Helen

Last Few Days (Here Right Now)

Life's What You Make It

Little One

Right Behind You

Start Somewhere