Americana Music Magazine – Bluegrass, Roots, Folk, Blues, and Old-Time
With her husband and co-writer Tommy Parham, Tia McGraff is a skilled songstress who has been making impactful and thought-provoking art for well over a decade. With nine international CD releases and multiple film and TV placements over the years, her recorded catalog is certainly a proud accomplishment, but where Tia truly shines is in her live performances. Her love for performing has taken her all over North America and the United Kingdom, be it in huge concerts or personal, intimate venues.
Tia’s music journey began with her grandmother. “My grandmother had the most beautiful, beautiful voice, so when I was a little girl I just soaked up her voice.” Later, at age 19, she entered and won the Canadian Open Country Singing Contest. “It was very surreal because doors started flying open. Next thing I knew, I was on a TV show in Toronto with Johnny Cash and June Carter…” After spending time kicking around in the Canadian music scene, Tia headed south to work on songwriting in Nashville.
Listening to Patty Griffin’s Living with Ghosts helped Tia realize that Americana music suited her better than anything else. “I went, ‘Oh my gosh’…I knew I never really fit into mainstream country. I knew I had a bit of folk, but Americana was like ‘Oh my gosh!’…Tommy and I just started running with that and haven’t looked back.”
Along with her music, Tia has found other creative outlets in the realms of children’s books and podcasting. She has become an accomplished children’s author, most notably with her book, Jake The Road Dawg, based on the life and adventures of her beloved pet. The book has inspired classrooms around the world, while supporting Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and Tia’s local Humane Society. The success of the book also led Tia to venture into the podcast realm with her popular show, Jake’s Place Songs ‘n’ Tails. Here, she discusses music, up-and-coming artists and her own personal opinions on every day topics.
By Dan Walsh
To find out more, visit www.tiamcgraff.com. Click here for the full interview.