“The most promising young guitarist I’ve seen. His command of the guitar is already really impressive!”
- Andy McKee
"I know beautiful hands when I see them now, and I understand how important they are to manifesting your ideas. Calum has them, and puts them to good use as he seeks out both texture and melody in his compositions"
- Billy McLaughlin
"Calum Graham is an amazing guitarist. He is the rare kind of artist who is not only a great virtuoso on his instrument, but also a wonderful composer. I had the good fortune of being his tour mate on the 2017-18 International Guitar Night Tour. Playing and traveling with him was always a joy but the most interesting part of our relationship was that every night, during some 60 or so concerts throughout Europe and North America, I always made it a point to go into the audience and enjoy his solo set. I was usually smiling, like a happy fan, but at times, I was moved to tears. The guitar loving public has much to look forward to as Calum's career progresses."
-Michael Chapdelaine
Born in Fort St. John, British Columbia and now based in Victoria, Calum Graham has been making waves in the global music scene for over a decade. He is distinguished by his passionate and emotionally expressive original compositions and is recognized as one of the World’s Top 30 Guitarists under 30 by Acoustic Guitar Magazine.His live repertoire is a tapestry woven from the Acoustic, Baritone, and Harp Guitar, interweaving original compositions with traces of folk, world, soul, blues, and jazz, all anchored in his virtuosic mastery of fingerstyle technique inspired by Michael Hedges, Don Ross, Andy McKee, and Antoine Dufour.
At the age of 13, Graham learned to play the guitar from his father and commenced his musical odyssey by winning first place at the 2010 Canadian Fingerstyle Guitar Competition when he was 17, a feat unprecedented for a teenager in the festival's history. Following this triumph, he was invited to perform at both the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver and the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
Calum Graham has solidified a bright future for the guitar. He moves us forward with a powerful original musical voice while paying tribute to those who paved the way before him. A prime example is his composition “The Nomad;” the composition is 100% Calum’s original voice, yet it magically conjures up the spirit of Michael Hedges. Every note Calum plays is filled with honesty, integrity, passion, and joy. This is great news for the rest of us, because many notes come our way during a performance!-Thomas Clippert
As Calum Graham’s name continued to grow in Alberta and across Canada for his guitar work and musicianship, Graham proved that his talent was not limited to his extraordinary ability to play the guitar. In 2011, Graham won the Canada’s Walk of Fame nationwide “A Song For Canada” contest based on his poetic acuteness. His winning poem was used in the song “I’m Here, (A Song For Canada)”. The song was performed by Chantal Kreviazuk and co-written by Graham, Raine Maida (Our Lady Peace) and Stephen Moccio (“I Believe”, 2010 Vancouver Olympics theme song/”Wrecking Ball” - Miley Cyrus)”
“Calum’s entry resonated strongly among the judges. His poem celebrates the cultural mosaic that is Canada. He has captured the diversity of this country – something that we as a nation are renowned for and proud of”
-Stephan Moccio
In 2013, having already released two albums, Graham collaborated with renowned Fingerstyle Guitarist Don Ross to record an instrumental acoustic duet album titled "12:34". A mosaic of original compositions and covers, the album garnered an ardent following and broadened Graham's musical horizons. Shortly after, the release of Graham's solo instrumental album "Phoenix Rising" in November 2013 (Candyrat Records) produced numerous viral videos on Youtube which created a following all over the world.
Recognizing Graham's innovative sound, Canada's preeminent booking agency (The Feldman Agency) teamed him up with acclaimed Canadian producer Gavin Brown on the "Sessions X" series. Graham's participation alongside notable artists solidified his status in the industry.
In 2014, Graham collaborated with IMAX composer Steve Wood on the musical score for the IMAX documentary "Humpbacks," a visually stunning underwater adventure narrated by Ewan McGregor, directed by Greg MacGillivray (“The Living Sea”, “Everest”), presented in association with Pacific Life, and released February 13, 2015 to IMAX theatres worldwide.
Graham's fifth studio album, ‘Tabula Rasa’ (2016) marked a significant milestone, introducing his soulful vocals alongside his instrumental prowess to his audience for the first time. Produced by the renowned Antoine Dufour and released independently, this collection of work showed his versatility in other genres as well as his ability to make cover songs his own with his Harp Guitar and vocal arrangement of ‘Billie Jean’ (Michael Jackson).
“Farewell” from the album 'Tabula Rasa' was featured in a short film ‘The Yesterday’ where filmaker Benita Von Sass won ‘Best First Time Filmmaker’ at the Cannes World Film Festival
His subsequent release, "Thread of Creation" (2019) continued to demonstrate his diverse musicality and profound songwriting maturity. Featuring guest performances by Antoine Dufour and the illustrious Michael Manring, the album showcases Graham's virtuosity on the Acoustic, Baritone, and Harp Guitar.
In 2022, Calum released his first ever concept album inspired by nature titled ‘Sympatheia’ which features 12 original guitar instrumentals recorded at his home studio during the pandemic and released independently.
While every song was initially composed for solo guitar, this album stands out due to Graham's innovative orchestration which guides the listener on a captivating journey, akin to a cinematic score.
Recently, Graham embarked on a new musical venture, forming the band 'Tripliciti' with fellow virtuosos Andy McKee and Trevor Gordon Hall. Their upcoming full-length album promises a captivating fusion of their extraordinary talents which will be released in 2024 (More info at www.tripliciti.com)
Calum's highly anticipated ninth studio album, commemorating the 10th anniversary of "Phoenix Rising," is scheduled for release on October 29, 2023. The album showcases beloved fan-favorite tracks including 'Phoenix Rising,' 'Waiting,' '12:34,' and 'Three Way Street,' each presented with innovative, reimagined arrangements that will be a breath of fresh air for both new and longtime fans alike.
Calum continues to write, teach, and tour throughout Canada, the US, and Europe, and planning to tour next with Tripliciti and Michael Manring in 2024. For more information on shows, new releases, and more, be sure to subscribe to the Mailing List and follow Calum on social media @calumgrahammusic