AI
Thursday, June 27, 2002 11:51:22 PM
Tammy Graham
Talent is a curious thing; those blessed with it are often said to make what they do look easy. In fact, hard work is a big part of almost every success story, and so it is with Tammy Graham. She began honing her considerable gifts early on, and her growth from piano prodigy to world-class entertainer is a study in dedication and focus. Today, with the longest continuous run of any performer in Las Vegas, Tammy could easily rest on her laurels. Her success in that highly-competitive world is testament to a singular talent and the ability to connect with an audience, but for Tammy, it's just another step toward realizing a lifelong dream to become a recording artist. That dream has come true with her self-titled Career Records debut; now country fans can share the heart and soul of the bubbly young woman with the big, big voice.
"They say the Lord works in mysterious ways," muses Tammy, "and I'm living proof. Since I was a little girl, what I've wanted to do more than anything was to sing country music-to have one of my songs played on the radio and touch someone. The way it's happened for me is a little different, and it just goes to show that each of us has our own path. You'll get there, as long as you never give up."
Tammy's life in music seems almost pre-destined. Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, she was named for a country legend, and by age three Tammy Wynette Graham was teaching herself piano a'la Jerry Lee Lewis. At eight, she raised eyebrows in her Pentecostal church with her rendition of I'll Fly Away. "I rocked it up pretty good," she recalls, "and I guess they weren't ready for it." At nine, after winning local and regional Imperial Miss Arkansas talent contest titles, and placing second in the World competition, Tammy began demonstrating pianos for a store in the North Little Rock Mall in her home town in Arkansas. "My grandma had been a professional mandolin player, so playing for a living wasn't strange to me or my family. I saved all the money from my tip jar for this giant teddy bear that was in one of the other stores. I still have it!"
Encouraged to move to Nashville by Music City legend Harold Bradley, Tammy spent her early teens billed as "Little Miss Jerry Lee Lewis" at various Music Row venues. Audience members did double-takes as the little dynamo banged out songs in the style of the rock & roll pioneer and crooned Patsy Cline classics in her already-huge voice. At fourteen, she formed her own band and began touring.
"I guess 'touring' would be the right word," she says with a laugh. "It was just my folks, three band members and me--we pulled a little trailer full of equipment all over creation. It was tough, but I wouldn't trade that time in the early 1980's for anything. We spent three years traveling and entertaining, I learned so much. My parents were one-hundred-percent dedicated to helping me find my way in music. At the time, Nashville was going through a lot of changes, where people didn't really want to hear a lot of rootsy or classic-type sounds, so we decided to head for Las Vegas, mostly just to find a more stable way of living and making ends meet."
If life on the road had been lean, the family's first months in the entertainment mecca were downright skinny. Neither of Tammy's parents were able to find work, so the three lived on what she won in a weekly talent contest at one of the casinos. First place earned a midnight-to-am Saturday-night gig, which paid all of $50.00. Tammy won for 13 consecutive weeks. Gradually, other local rooms opened up for the 17-year-old, and she began working steadily. Still too young to enter the casinos or showrooms on her own, Tammy was always accompanied by one of her parents, and couldn't leave the tiny backstage dressing rooms except when she was performing. That exposure led to her long-tern booking at landmark Caesar's Palace. "Once you've worked in Vegas for a while, you learn a lot about getting a song's real message across," she notes. "Night after night, you see how people react. Their faces tell you if you're getting to them or not. But I guess one of the most important things I've learned is that you have to be yourself--be who you really are--or you're not going to have any impact. You have to make sure your attitude is, 'hey, check this out,' not 'check me out.' It's about the music."
Inevitably, word of Tammy's way with an audience cycled back to country music's capital. Arista/Nashville Records president Tim DuBois flew in to catch one of her shows. "The moment Tammy came out on stage," he remembers, "the whole world just seemed to stop and come to attention. I knew right away there was something very special about the way she connects with people." DuBois signed Tammy to Career Records, an affiliate of Arista/Nashville and enlisted veteran producer Barry Beckett. Beckett has produced records for Lorrie Morgan, and Tammy Wynette, Graham's namesake, among many others. "Tammy Graham is by far one of the finest artists I have ever had the pleasure to work with," says Beckett. "Ever so often a producer is very fortunate to work with a professional such as Tammy. She is a natural interpreter of lyrics." Their approach to recording was a natural extension of Tammy's considerable stage experience. Most of her vocals were cut in dim lighting that approximated the stage, and one of Beckett's biggest chores was getting the singer to stand still; "Once she found the position on the microphone to take advantage of the sound of her voice, getting a good vocal was pretty much a breeze," Beckett commented. "I move around a lot when I sing," she laughs, "and I kept wandering away from the microphone, as if I had one in my hand!" For me, making a record is the same thing as singing in front of a crowd. I'd just close my eyes and imagine that there were thousands of people listening, like last year at (Nashville music festival) Fan Fair. That's really what you're doing with an album-you're singing to people, not just to a tape machine. Once I thought about it that way, I was pretty comfortable."
It shows. From the opening verse of Let The Girl Be Herself, the power and depth that made Tammy's nightclub show a must-see are clearly evident. The tune's driving backbeat is a perfect underpinning for sassy lyrics that remind Tammy of what she heard from country's original 'attitude' females, Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn. "To me, it's the same kind of spunk that you hear in some of their songs. Better Men Have Tried has it, too." The connection with country's golden era continues with Tell Me Again and Old Heartaches, which Tammy describes As "100-percent pure country," and with More About Love, written by the legendary Bill Anderson. "Whisperin' Bill", whom Tammy had met while searching for songs for her new album, respected the young vocalist's talent so much that he promised to write a song for her upcoming project. He finished the song just in time for the sessions. "You see a lot of 'manufactured' artists these days," says Bill, "but there's none of that with this girl. She's the real deal."
Tammy shows her sultry and sensitive sides on Cool Water and When The Blues And My Baby Collide, and gets down to serious fun on Dancin' With Elvis; "I couldn't believe it when I first heard that one. I'm a huge Elvis fan. We had a ball with it in the studio." While she won't name a favorite, A Dozen Red Roses may well be the album's centerpiece. In it, a father's love reaches beyond his early passing to touch his daughter on her wedding day. From her own upbringing and her current role as a working mother, Tammy knows a good deal about unconditional love, and says she still gets a lump in her throat every time she sings this touching ballad.
Tammy Graham is much more than one young woman's impressive debut. It is the realization of a lifelong dream, and serves notice that there is still a place for the genuine article in today's country music. Tammy's path to this special place was indeed different from most, and in each song, she shares a little of what she's gathered along the way.
THE FACTS
Given name Tammy Wynette Graham
Birthdate February 7, 1968
Birthplace Little Rock, Arkansas
Hometown Las Vegas, Nevada
Current Residence Las Vegas, Nevada
Instruments Piano
Hobbles Hiking, Fishing, Skeet-shooting
Physical hair: Brunette eyes: Brown
Height: 5'5"
First Public Performance Sang "The Devil's Got Your Number" in church at age 3
First Paid Job in Music Performed at The Texas Grapevine Opry at age 10. Tammy earned $25.00
Other Early Jobs Played/demonstrated pianos at a music store at the McKay Mall in North Little Rock, Arkansas
Personal Achievement At age 11, Tammy won first place at a local talent & beauty contest and was named Miss Arkansas. She later won 2nd place at the National Competition.
Early Ambition To sing and perform
Musical Background Country, Blues and Gospel
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/board.asp?board_id=1066
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/board.asp?board_id=1124
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/board.asp?board_id=1148
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/board.asp?board_id=1142
Talent is a curious thing; those blessed with it are often said to make what they do look easy. In fact, hard work is a big part of almost every success story, and so it is with Tammy Graham. She began honing her considerable gifts early on, and her growth from piano prodigy to world-class entertainer is a study in dedication and focus. Today, with the longest continuous run of any performer in Las Vegas, Tammy could easily rest on her laurels. Her success in that highly-competitive world is testament to a singular talent and the ability to connect with an audience, but for Tammy, it's just another step toward realizing a lifelong dream to become a recording artist. That dream has come true with her self-titled Career Records debut; now country fans can share the heart and soul of the bubbly young woman with the big, big voice.
"They say the Lord works in mysterious ways," muses Tammy, "and I'm living proof. Since I was a little girl, what I've wanted to do more than anything was to sing country music-to have one of my songs played on the radio and touch someone. The way it's happened for me is a little different, and it just goes to show that each of us has our own path. You'll get there, as long as you never give up."
Tammy's life in music seems almost pre-destined. Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, she was named for a country legend, and by age three Tammy Wynette Graham was teaching herself piano a'la Jerry Lee Lewis. At eight, she raised eyebrows in her Pentecostal church with her rendition of I'll Fly Away. "I rocked it up pretty good," she recalls, "and I guess they weren't ready for it." At nine, after winning local and regional Imperial Miss Arkansas talent contest titles, and placing second in the World competition, Tammy began demonstrating pianos for a store in the North Little Rock Mall in her home town in Arkansas. "My grandma had been a professional mandolin player, so playing for a living wasn't strange to me or my family. I saved all the money from my tip jar for this giant teddy bear that was in one of the other stores. I still have it!"
Encouraged to move to Nashville by Music City legend Harold Bradley, Tammy spent her early teens billed as "Little Miss Jerry Lee Lewis" at various Music Row venues. Audience members did double-takes as the little dynamo banged out songs in the style of the rock & roll pioneer and crooned Patsy Cline classics in her already-huge voice. At fourteen, she formed her own band and began touring.
"I guess 'touring' would be the right word," she says with a laugh. "It was just my folks, three band members and me--we pulled a little trailer full of equipment all over creation. It was tough, but I wouldn't trade that time in the early 1980's for anything. We spent three years traveling and entertaining, I learned so much. My parents were one-hundred-percent dedicated to helping me find my way in music. At the time, Nashville was going through a lot of changes, where people didn't really want to hear a lot of rootsy or classic-type sounds, so we decided to head for Las Vegas, mostly just to find a more stable way of living and making ends meet."
If life on the road had been lean, the family's first months in the entertainment mecca were downright skinny. Neither of Tammy's parents were able to find work, so the three lived on what she won in a weekly talent contest at one of the casinos. First place earned a midnight-to-am Saturday-night gig, which paid all of $50.00. Tammy won for 13 consecutive weeks. Gradually, other local rooms opened up for the 17-year-old, and she began working steadily. Still too young to enter the casinos or showrooms on her own, Tammy was always accompanied by one of her parents, and couldn't leave the tiny backstage dressing rooms except when she was performing. That exposure led to her long-tern booking at landmark Caesar's Palace. "Once you've worked in Vegas for a while, you learn a lot about getting a song's real message across," she notes. "Night after night, you see how people react. Their faces tell you if you're getting to them or not. But I guess one of the most important things I've learned is that you have to be yourself--be who you really are--or you're not going to have any impact. You have to make sure your attitude is, 'hey, check this out,' not 'check me out.' It's about the music."
Inevitably, word of Tammy's way with an audience cycled back to country music's capital. Arista/Nashville Records president Tim DuBois flew in to catch one of her shows. "The moment Tammy came out on stage," he remembers, "the whole world just seemed to stop and come to attention. I knew right away there was something very special about the way she connects with people." DuBois signed Tammy to Career Records, an affiliate of Arista/Nashville and enlisted veteran producer Barry Beckett. Beckett has produced records for Lorrie Morgan, and Tammy Wynette, Graham's namesake, among many others. "Tammy Graham is by far one of the finest artists I have ever had the pleasure to work with," says Beckett. "Ever so often a producer is very fortunate to work with a professional such as Tammy. She is a natural interpreter of lyrics." Their approach to recording was a natural extension of Tammy's considerable stage experience. Most of her vocals were cut in dim lighting that approximated the stage, and one of Beckett's biggest chores was getting the singer to stand still; "Once she found the position on the microphone to take advantage of the sound of her voice, getting a good vocal was pretty much a breeze," Beckett commented. "I move around a lot when I sing," she laughs, "and I kept wandering away from the microphone, as if I had one in my hand!" For me, making a record is the same thing as singing in front of a crowd. I'd just close my eyes and imagine that there were thousands of people listening, like last year at (Nashville music festival) Fan Fair. That's really what you're doing with an album-you're singing to people, not just to a tape machine. Once I thought about it that way, I was pretty comfortable."
It shows. From the opening verse of Let The Girl Be Herself, the power and depth that made Tammy's nightclub show a must-see are clearly evident. The tune's driving backbeat is a perfect underpinning for sassy lyrics that remind Tammy of what she heard from country's original 'attitude' females, Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn. "To me, it's the same kind of spunk that you hear in some of their songs. Better Men Have Tried has it, too." The connection with country's golden era continues with Tell Me Again and Old Heartaches, which Tammy describes As "100-percent pure country," and with More About Love, written by the legendary Bill Anderson. "Whisperin' Bill", whom Tammy had met while searching for songs for her new album, respected the young vocalist's talent so much that he promised to write a song for her upcoming project. He finished the song just in time for the sessions. "You see a lot of 'manufactured' artists these days," says Bill, "but there's none of that with this girl. She's the real deal."
Tammy shows her sultry and sensitive sides on Cool Water and When The Blues And My Baby Collide, and gets down to serious fun on Dancin' With Elvis; "I couldn't believe it when I first heard that one. I'm a huge Elvis fan. We had a ball with it in the studio." While she won't name a favorite, A Dozen Red Roses may well be the album's centerpiece. In it, a father's love reaches beyond his early passing to touch his daughter on her wedding day. From her own upbringing and her current role as a working mother, Tammy knows a good deal about unconditional love, and says she still gets a lump in her throat every time she sings this touching ballad.
Tammy Graham is much more than one young woman's impressive debut. It is the realization of a lifelong dream, and serves notice that there is still a place for the genuine article in today's country music. Tammy's path to this special place was indeed different from most, and in each song, she shares a little of what she's gathered along the way.
THE FACTS
Given name Tammy Wynette Graham
Birthdate February 7, 1968
Birthplace Little Rock, Arkansas
Hometown Las Vegas, Nevada
Current Residence Las Vegas, Nevada
Instruments Piano
Hobbles Hiking, Fishing, Skeet-shooting
Physical hair: Brunette eyes: Brown
Height: 5'5"
First Public Performance Sang "The Devil's Got Your Number" in church at age 3
First Paid Job in Music Performed at The Texas Grapevine Opry at age 10. Tammy earned $25.00
Other Early Jobs Played/demonstrated pianos at a music store at the McKay Mall in North Little Rock, Arkansas
Personal Achievement At age 11, Tammy won first place at a local talent & beauty contest and was named Miss Arkansas. She later won 2nd place at the National Competition.
Early Ambition To sing and perform
Musical Background Country, Blues and Gospel
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/board.asp?board_id=1066
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/board.asp?board_id=1124
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/board.asp?board_id=1148
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/board.asp?board_id=1142
Discover What Traders Are Watching
Explore small cap ideas before they hit the headlines.
