Exploring Nashville Music History: T Graham Brown and his Journey from 80s Hits to Modern Collaborations in Music City

Hey y'all, it's Sarah Harrelson, your host of the Take It a Walk Nashville podcast. And today I am sitting down with country artist T. Graham Brown. Such rich history in Nashville. I can't wait for you to hear our conversation, but first I'm also excited because my new EP, Just the Beginning, drops this Friday, May 15th. I hope you will go listen to it on all music platforms and check out the short film on YouTube. I go back to Knoxville, Tennessee, back to Birmingham, Alabama, where I'm from. So I hope you will learn more about me and my story by checking out Just the Beginning under Sarah Harrelson on all music platforms. Now join me today as I sit down and speak with country artist T. Graham Brown. This is an I Heart podcast. Guaranteed human. Welcome to Take It a Walk Nashville with your host singer-songwriter, Sarah Harrelson. Hi everyone. This is Sarah Harrelson, your host of Take It a Walk Nashville. And joining me today is T. Graham Brown. He is one of country music's most distinctive voices, known for blending country soul and gospel influences into his style that's uniquely his own. He first rose to national fame in the 80s with a string of hit songs including Helen Highwater, Darlene and Wine Into Water. Over the course of his career, he's charted more than 20 singles and earned a loyal following for both his powerhouse vocals and heartfelt songwriting. His album From Memphis to Muscle Shoal celebrated the deep soul roots that have influenced his music throughout his career and became his first number one album. Today, he continues to tour across the country and is currently back in the studio working on music. Thank you so much for being here with me today. Sarah, you sure are smart. How did you know that much about that? Well, I definitely have had a lot of information, but I also grew up listening to a lot of your music and you know, you've been back in the studio working on a new album. So what can fans expect from your latest project? Well, I don't know if you're familiar with the Gather Gospel Guru. I'm doing an album for them. It's kind of an R&B gospel record. And I'm going to have Vince Gill is going to be on it and all some gospel singer David Feltz and Jason Crabb and a big star these days of in Christian country radio. The Christian country radio scene is Zach Williams is going to be on there and we'll probably get a couple more folks on it. It's really cool. We're about halfway done with it. I'm going to be very happy with the end result. Yeah, I can't wait. I can't wait to hear that, especially collaboration with Zach Williams and talking about previous music, your album from Memphis to Muscle Shoals. That became your first number one album. What did that moment mean to you personally after, you know, a long career? Well, you know, it goes without saying it was very cool. It was number one on the Blues Albums Chart. So, you know, I luckily had a big hit album on the Blues, the hit album on gospel, hit album on country. So I'm doing what I want to do. I never had a rock record, but I'd love to do one. And we were talking about Zach Williams. Zach Williams is on the from Memphis to Muscle Shoals record. He's doing it with me on One of Man Loves a Woman. Yeah, we went down to Fame Studios and Muscle Shoals and cut 14 1960s soul songs. I was talking to Dwight Yocum. He asked me what I've been up to and I told him and he asked me if I'd cut a certain song. And I said yes. And he asked if he could sing all and I went, are you kidding? Yeah, I said I sent the tracks out to Hollywood and he did a duet went back saying harm. He's a perfectionist. And when I got it back, when he sent it back to me, I thought, man, I need to call Tanya. And so I called Tanya and Wine Onna and Sammy Hagar and Zach Williams and Randy Hauser. Sam Morphins, the late great Sam Morphins, Sam and Dave, Debra MacLennan, a little Anthony from Little Anthony and the Imperials just got 11 duets on it. It wasn't planned to be a duet album, but anyway, it's a really cool record. Yeah, so many great collaborations on them. I think you mentioned Randy Hauser singing, sitting on the dock of the bay with you. So good. How did some of those duets come together? Did you pick some of the artists or did someone come together? Oh, amazing. I wanted to have some of my heroes, several of those guys and Betty LeVette, they're in their 80s. And I just wanted the world to see that they could still sing and still carry the male. So that was a lot of, like Delbert's, you know, 82 or 33. Sam Morphins was 89. Little Anthony's probably 88 now. Eddie Floyd, who wrote and sang the original Knock on Wood duet with me on Knock on Wood. And he's in probably his mid-80s. And then the rest of them are probably my age. So yeah, I called them all up. Very cool. Yeah, I don't know if you've been to the latest Muscle Shoals exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame, but it's really cool. I got to go to the opening concert for the exhibit, Candy Staton and Betty LeVette performed. And it's so cool just hearing the music from the show. So I'm glad you got to put your own spin on it. People don't realize that I cut most of my hits in Muscle Shoals. I've been going to Muscle Shoals since 84. I know all about Muscle Shoals. I'll probably go see that exhibit, but I guarantee you there's nothing in the exhibit that I don't already know and that I was right in the middle of it. And I'm near the Muscle Shoals rhythm section, the swamper's I played on three or four of my hits. I know them all. And one of the coolest things about this tremendous Muscle Shoals record is I got to get my friend David Hood, who's the bass player of the original Muscle Shoals rhythm section. So it was kind of like a full circle moment. No man, I know Muscle Shoals. Yeah, yeah, that's amazing. You recorded most of your hits there. It's such a short drive from Nashville. And this year you're also celebrating the 40th anniversary of your hit single, I Wish That I Could Hurt That Way Again. You've recorded more than a dozen albums, charted over 20 singles. What's the biggest lesson this music industry has taught you over the years? Yeah, I don't know. And I'll brag a man, I want an Emmy too. And I get to be in movies every now and then. I tell you how to show on series that's him. You did? Yeah, it's on Prime Country Channel. I've definitely listened to that and tuned in. How did you... I just bugged them for about three years and they finally, I think they finally just wanted to hit me, you know, shoot me away. And they said, okay, we'll let you do this. And that's seven and a half years ago, so that's a lot of fun. But yeah, man, the good thing is I'm 71 and nobody tells me what to do in the lower. I've already been there and done that. All these new artists are having to try to get their songs played everywhere it is, you know. Yeah. I've done all that. I'm glad I would hate to be starting out right now. I'm glad it's all behind it. Yeah, it's definitely a different dynamic now and you're taking the reins. But in addition to radio and your album, your voice has also been recognized on other campaigns like McDonald's, the Taco Bell, Run for the Border television spots. What got you into writing jingles for? I had a friend that called me up. First time, the first jingle I had, I went to New York to all the Anthony music and we did a Coca-Cola commercial. I've been lucky, man. I've done Coke and Mountain Dew and Seven Up and Dr. Pepper and Taco Bell, McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, every corn truck. Basically every Budweiser, Strohs, Miller, Coors, all these. I even did Sometimes You Feel Like a Nut, Sometimes You Don't. The Almond Joy, come on. Disneyland, Harris Casinos, just on and on. I used to be the man, but if they wanted something, they'd calm me. That's so cool that you have the opportunity to do that. Definitely a recognizable voice I think anyone listening in should check out your Taco Bell commercials. They're fun to interview. Go on YouTube and look at our young T. Graham Brown. Go to YouTube and look up the one with the little Richard and me. That's where you're at. They need to resurface those commercials. Yeah, no kidding. You are also a member of the Grand Ole Opry. I loved seeing the video events scale, introducing you to become a member of the Opry, such a special moment. Do you remember the first time you stepped onto the Opry stage as a performer? It's kind of hazy. It would have been in 1985. People always ask me if I remember it or remember who introduced me. The night they inducted me, they showed these old videos and with Porter Wagner introducing me and I looked so young and I thought, man, that might be the first time I was ever on it. But hey, I was on the Opry last night. I'll be on it two times next week. I love standing in that circle. It's nothing like it. It's the biggest career achievement Sheila and I have ever gotten. Wow. Yeah, that's wonderful. People can look forward to you still performing at the Grand Ole Opry. C. Graham Brown, thank you so much for being on Taken a Lot. Nashville today, I have one last question for you. What is the most memorable walk you have taken in Nashville? The most memorable walk? Yes. God, Lee, Bob, that's hard to say. I used to love going to the Parthenon. Have you ever been to the Parthenon? I have, yeah. That was one of my favorite things. I guess one of my favorite walks would be when I first moved to town, I started singing demos and I would walk up and down 16th Avenue when it was still Music Road and beg for opportunities to sing demos. And then that all came true and I got to be the guy on demos and then that led to my first record deal on Capitol Records. So that's probably one of my favorite walks, is going up and down 16th Avenue. It's so funny because John Berry said earlier the same thing. He's like, well, I love Centennial Park, but when I wasn't doing that, walking up and down 16th Avenue. Really? Well, hey, that's the way it was. Exactly, yeah. Well thank you so much for being on today and I hope listeners will check out your new music, Timeless Hits and check you out at the Grand Ole Opry. You know what, Sarah? You are very good at this. Thank you, I appreciate it. And God bless you. Thanks for listening to Taking a Walk Nashville with Sarah Harrelson. Please check out our other shows produced by Buzz Night Media Productions. Comedy Saved Me and Music Saved Me, hosted by Lynn Hoffman and Taking a Walk, hosted by yours truly, Buzz Night. All shows are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and our part of the I Heart Podcast network.