“All good music has soul.” Attracted to the rawness of the soul genre, Garland has infused the richness found in soul music into his fusion of R&B, blues, jazz, pop, and rock. His voice, bright and abounding; paired with the texture of blues guitar licks, make Garland’s sound unique. Multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and producer, Garland is a seasoned and accomplished musician. He has come along way from playing clubs along the famed Beale Street in Memphis, TN and his home of northeast Arkansas. He has set himself apart from his blues beginnings and is now likened to the guitar style of John Mayer and vocal contemporaries such as John Legend, Allen Stone and Bernhoft.
In 2009, Garland released his first self-entitled album. The album, consisting of R&B, soul, jazz and pop, focused on the theme of young love and emphasized lush keyboard harmonies and sultry guitar solos. In 2015, Garland released his second album, Wild Heart. Having grown as a musician after working with numerous reputable names in Memphis, Nashville and showcasing his talents in Las Vegas, Garland set out to write an album that was more lyrical and centered around songwriting. Garland has said he was inspired by more of an Americana sound, with simpler acoustic guitar driven harmonies. Garland aimed to depict a darker side of human experience, and took chances with songs like “Ain’t Going to Keep Me Out of Heaven,” while still staying true to his R&B-soul leanings in “Anne Marie” and “Come Back to Memphis”.
Garland’s adeptness in music is represented by his variety of instrumentation and strong grooves. Influenced by a diverse amount of artists such as Stevie Wonder, Boz Skaggs, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Frank Sinatra, Led Zeppelin and Ray Charles, amongst many others, Garland’s style is dynamic and yet timeless.
Garland currently lives and regularly performs in Nashville, TN where he lives with his family.
* Grant Garland has performed with and opened for artists such as B.B. King, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Steve Cropper, Melinda Doolittle, Margo Rey, Jimmy Hall, and Mike Farris.
