Chris McGraw's ambitious, guitar-heavy rock draws influence from contemporary Top 40 acts as well as the musicians he admires going back several decades. Uncommon lyrical themes strike a perfect balance with infectious melodies, supported by his sometimes tasteful, sometimes unrelenting guitar work.
Barely out of High School in Alaska, Chris released the self-produced, all-instrumental album Photon Life. In 2005 he formed the band Red Penguin to play the music live, and the band went on to produce an original EP and several singles. The band achieved some notoriety in Alaska, but in '08 Chris relocated to Portland, Oregon and joined Noir City as their lead guitarist.
Chris is currently working on a new album, simultaneously taking on the roles of songwriter, singer, instrumentalist, and music producer. His new singles, including Helicopter Ben, See Us Dance, and Machine Guns are available on iTunes and other digital music services.
Press Info
"...(Chris McGraw) has developed a unique collage of
guitar influences. The CD is totally instrumental but
manages to keep listeners’ attention with melodic
themes and widely panned spatial tones... What I
admire most about Chris is his mature handling of
technical ability. He has a lot of speed but holds it
in check and adds it sparingly. When he does get his
fingers flying, it really grabs your ears." The Beat,
AK This Month (August 2003)
Similar Artists
Joe Satriani, Jeff Beck, Steve Vai
Influences
Rush, Joe Satriani, Jeff Beck, Steve Vai, Dream Theater, Van Halen, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton
Bio
Chris McGraw's music is intense, passionate, creative,
and instantly memorable. In his guitar-driven
instrumental rock album, "Photon Life", Chris displays
an impressive mix of high-energy guitar pyrotechnics,
catchy melodic themes, and trance-inducing spatial
atmospheres.
A young, new talent based in Alaska, Chris' musical
style has been influenced by such great rock guitar
legends as Jeff Beck, Joe Satriani, Alex Lifeson, and
Jimi Hendrix. His music has been compared to Satriani
and Eric Johnson. As said in a review of his album in
the locally publicized magazine, "AK This Month",
"...(Chris McGraw) has developed a unique collage of
guitar influences. The CD is totally instrumental but
manages to keep listeners’ attention with melodic
themes and widely panned spatial tones... What I
admire most about Chris is his mature handling of
technical ability. He has a lot of speed but holds it
in check and adds it sparingly. When he does get his
fingers flying, it really grabs your ears." The Beat,
AK This Month (August 2003)
Chris' music has been featured on KSKA 91.1 radio in Anchorage, Alaska. For information on the album, "Photon Life", and links to sound clips, photos, and other information, visit Chris' webpage at http://www.chrismcgraw.com. Send e-mail inquiries to chris@chrismcgraw.com.