Stan Graham

Biography
A successful career soldier for 36 years, Stan took up song writing and performing quite late in life. During his military career he served in many parts of the world including Singapore, Malaysia, Germany and Northern Ireland during the troubles, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2001. He started his musical career as a resident singer at the celebrated Black Swan Folk Club in York. It was not long however, before he had gained an enviable reputation for the real quality and depth of feeling he produced in his own songs. A prolific song writer his songs have been described as powerful yet understated, moving and memorable, he writes from the heart and somehow always manages to keep his songs simple and straight to the point. In style he has been likened to Tom Paxton and Allan Taylor.

Musical Career
Vin Garbutt was the first to recognize the strength of Stan’s songs when he recorded one of his most powerful anthems “Sarajevo”. Now his songs can be heard in folk clubs across England and Scotland and have traveled as far a field as Australia, Europe and America. It speaks volumes for his ability, that his songs have since been covered by such luminaries of the Folk Music scene as George Hamilton IV, Vin Garbutt, Martyn Wyndham-Read, Bill Whaley & Dave Fletcher, The Tindalls and many more. More recently he has been working and writing with Mike Silver and the Internationally renowned Jazz pianist Tarry Disley. In recent years he has become well known for the outstanding quality of his studio albums, all of which have been praised for the quality of songwriting, production and musicianship.

Songwriting Workshops
Would you like to know how to get started on your first song, put a tune to your lyrics or want to explore more advanced aspects of song structure? With Stan you will have a unique opportunity to explore your full potential as a song writer, with a real master of his craft. He is an experienced tutor and a workshop specialist, renowned for his easy going,well organised and dynamic song writing workshops. These courses are well worth attending, guaranteed to get you writing and designed to bring the best out of each group or individual student. With his natural ability to inspire people to write and with his expert guidance you will be able to explore many different aspects of song writing, always at a pace you are comfortable with. Each course is individually structured depending on the ability of the individuals. Stan also teaches students to play in DADGAD open guitar tuning..

Reviews;

Martyn Wyndham_Read
' The songs of Stan Graham will last for future generations to sing. Written by the heart for the heart, from the heart.

Mike Silver (Along The Way)

"With this new recording Stan has taken a big step forward. There are some superb arrangements on this album, particularly when they combine piano, cello and harmonica around his guitar work, they are excellent. There is a strength in his lyrics and he has found the way to hook the listener to a song so that it becomes a benign requirement, once you begin listening, to hear each track to its conclusion".

Evening Press (Along The Way)

"The opening bars, with it's brooding piano, plaintive harmonica and lyrical strings, show just how much care has been taken with this album. Rolling River Farm stands out on the album, while Whitby Harbour has standard written all over it".

Tykes News (Along The Way)

There are so many wonderful and wholly satisfying details within the production that I could probably fill a whole page just to detail them: I’m still discovering fresh delights after half-a-dozen plays! Stan’s endearing personality as songwriter and singer, and his humanity, glows through every moment of this disc.