Just lil ole me with occasional friends. But also please click here for details of my band.
Available as a solo performer for concerts, festivals, corporate events and fundraisers. For some events Phil offers a more rock based programme with the addition of friend and excellent slide/blues guitarist, Gary Grainger and superb percussionaist, David Pratt. Together we make up Trí.
Here's an extract from a review of a gig in The Crown Hotel in Crook on 3 February 2008:- "....Gary Grainger started things off with some class finger pickin' blues and western. His mate Phil Graham was next with a few more in the same vein. I loved the Bono song "North and South" . It made the hairs stand up on me neck. They've both got great playing styles and voices. It was a great way to start things off...."
And from Acoustic Scarborough....."Phil has the honour of being the first performer to get the whole place singing which was a real uplifting experience for us all."
"last night, both Catherine and I thought you were on fire, your songs were great, one of your best performances." Terry Ferdinand, presenter, Bishop FM.
"I enclose payment for the CD. I thoroughly enjoyed your performance on Sunday at Nature's World and, like I said, it was a pleasure listening to you. May you continue for a long time." Mel, your newest fan, Middlesbrough
From The Sorstman Bar, Eaglescliffe - "We were happy chappies listening to you last night. We were blown away with your voice and the emotion when you played the Christy stuff - it really hit the spot". Nikkie
Phil supports BISHOP FM at www.bishopfm.com - log on on Monday nights between 9pm and 10pm to hear Phil live on Terry Ferdinand's show
And don't forget to subscribe to Phil's blog posts in order to keep up with his weekly 'doings'..... musical, photographic and domestic. Blogs are usually posted over each weekend
ADVERT - Any band or artiste wanting promo or other photos just give a call to FILMAR Photography - www.filmar.co.uk
Not necessarily in this order.... Gram Parsons, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Monkees; Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Cream, Eric Clapton, Jim Reeves, Judas Priest, Rory Gallagher, Yes, Bruce Springsteen, Little Feat, Patti Smith, Status Quo, Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Heavy Metal Kids, Victoria, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Harvey Andrews, Ravi Shankar, Arab Strap, Third Ear Band, Neil Young, The Dubliners, Louden Wainwright III, The Sex Pistols, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Donovan, Arlo Guthrie (and Woody), John Lennon, Christy Moore, Richard Thompson, Linda Thompson, The Saw Doctors, Wally Page, Bonnie Raitt, Jez Lowe, Bert Draycott, Chris Milner, Nick Drake, Bill Oxbrough, Brother Crow, Luka Bloom, Wreckless Eric, She Wants Revenge...... and many, many, many more. But please check out the following from Bradford:- www.myspace.com/thejamesgoreexperience and if you like what you see and hear tell them I directed you there.
Phil bought his first guitar way back in 1967 at the grand old age of just fourteen. Playing only the chord of D major for the first six weeks or so, he bought Bert Weedon's "Play In A Day" along with "500 Chord Shapes" before teaming up with school mate Rob Gittins, who was also new to the guitar. Phil and Rob were later joined by Alan and Graham Rowley and "Victoria" , a successful Rock & Pop band touring the clubs and Odeons of the North East UK, was born.
Victoria played consistently until, regreting it to this day, Phil left in the autumn of 1974 to take up employment as a postman. Victoria folded soon after and the band members each went their own ways. Rob was last heard of as Bob Roberts and working for a major UK holiday company, Graham moved to the South East UK and is still playing and in contact with Phil (see friends) and Alan, sadly, is no longer with us.
During the nineteen seventies and into the eighties, Phil appeared in various musical guises; sometimes with his former Victoria band members, until settling down in 1984 to raise a family with his wife and soulmate, Janet. Together they have two sons, Daniel and Padraic, who are both grown and doing well.
Although Phil's paternal ties hail from Northern Ireland through his father's upbringing in Ballynure and Ballyclare, he is acutely conscious of the Scottish heritage within his family ancestry. Indeed, arising from the Norman conquest in 1066, Graham's who had sailed from Normandy with William The Conqueror followed him northwards to eventually settle in Scotland. The clan Graham have an illustrious, if controversial, history and Phil is a member of the Clan Graham Association of Scotland (www.clan-graham-association.org.uk).
So.... where are we now? Well, Phil has taken up the guitar and began chanting once more. This time, however, he has moved away from his manic rock and roll roots and now performs contemporary folk influenced by the likes of Christy Moore, Richard Thompson, Neil Young, The Saw Doctors etc.
He makes regular Tuesday night visits to the Croxdale Folk Club about four miles south of Durham city (www.myspace.com/croxdalefolk).
Phil's second album, Strange Kind Of Way, although merely a personal project with some imperfections, has been featured on Radio Newcastle's Breakfast Show as well as Tyne Tees Television and BBC TV's Look North.
Aside from his music, Phil manages FILMAR Photography (www.filmar.co.uk).
To play and hear the podcasts below use the volume slider above to silence any featured songs which may be auto playing.
You will always be welcome Phil and we must make sure we record some stuff for posterity when you do get down this way! I still remember the recording we did for a local radio station when Rob did all the talking and the only other thing we heard was your distinctive laugh!! I sonetimes wonder what happened to 'Bob Roberts'!!
My life has been uplifted by Tina and I am sure we can emulate the relationship you and Janet obviously have!
Welcome to our page, good to have you with us! We need your support to give a voice to the children who have none of their own...So please be loud and proud with us...and all the great bands you will find on this page who have made a noise to break the wall of silence that traps the innocents...together we can break it down!! So, listen to the great music, look at the excellent pictures, and know that you, along with everyone else on this page, can make a difference... The children must be protected, and we must all do our part...thank you for wanting to do yours and for adding your voice to ours, we grow louder every day...soon they WILL listen!!!
