Griffin Tucker And The Real Rock Revolution

Griffin Tucker And The Real Rock Revolution

Meet Griffin Tucker, a massively talented artist from Texas, who sings and plays a wide variety of instruments (guitar, bass, drums, piano, etc.)  In addition to a recently released EP entitled Believe It, Griffin found himself on the legendary American Idol show, receiving very encouraging compliments from the likes of Lionel Richie and Katy Perry.  Highwire Daze recently caught up with Griffin to find out a whole lot more about this 17-year-old ready to break into the big leagues!  Read on to for more about Griffin Tucker and The Real Rock Revolution…

What was the name of the very first song you wrote, how old were you, and what was the song about?
My first original song was called Girlfriend. I didn’t really write it because it originally came to me as a beat. But I took the beat and rearranged it & and added my own guitar solo. My mom wrote the lyrics for that song, as she does for all of my songs. Since I was only 11 at the time, we were mostly concerned about the content being cool but age-appropriate. That’s why it’s so poppy, but it’s still a great song, and I still perform it because it is a GrifFAN fave.

Where are you based out of and what is your local music scene like there?
I am from Dallas, TX. The toughest part about the scene here is that venues seem to want to book tribute bands or cover only bands. It’s hard to find a venue that will let you play originals. So, I play originals and cover just to get booked for gigs.

Is there any overall story or concept behind the Believe It EP title?
Definitely! I have always been a rocker and have always loved rock ‘n’ roll, especially classic rock. I’ve had many people try to get to go pop or country because that’s what gets radio airplay. So, when I wrote the music for this CD, it was my way of saying “I am a rocker & I’m here to bring rock ‘n’ roll back and keep it alive.” Since the title track “Believe It” is all about that idea, it was easy to choose it to be the title of the CD.

How close are you to writing and recording all new music? 
Very close. In fact, I am planning on going back into the studio in October – or Rocktober, as I like to call it.

What was the experience like being on American Idol and having Lionel Richie and Katy Perry say really nice things about you?
Actually, that was the best part of the whole AI experience. Having someone like Lionel Richie acknowledge me and my talent was very humbling. When Katy Perry told me I reminded her of a young Paul McCartney, I was completely blown away. That was the nicest thing anyone could every say to me. Paul is my idol.  Even though he’s been through a lot, he’s written some of the best songs of all time & he’s still going strong.

What could one expect from a live Griffin Tucker show?
To be rocked to your core!

If you could open for any band either now or from the past, who would it be and why?
I would have loved to open for Queen while Freddie was still alive and touring.

What is the Brotherhood Of The Guitar and how did you become involved with that?
The Brotherhood of the Guitar is an organization that was founded by Robert M. Knight. His mission was and still is to find young guitar players and bands and help them gain exposure.  I was asked to join when my good friend Logan Sheppard, who is in the Drummerhood, told Robert about me.

What advice would you give a young musician or artist seeking an endorsement deal?
It’s tough for an upcoming artist to get a real endorsement deal. My best advice is to find the equipment you love and will want to play whether you’re endorsed by that company or not. But, to get that stamp of legitimacy, it’s always good to be endorsed by a reputable, well-known company.  So, find out who their artist relationship person is, and contact them through messaging or, better yet, try to meet them in person at a music show or guitar show, like NAMM.

What’s up next for you?
My goal every day is to be a better player and singer than I was the day before. Long term, I am also working on having enough originals that I can put on a full show playing just my music. I also hope to get some tour dates next year & spread The Real Rock Revolution around the nation…

(Interview by Ken Morton – Photo by Jonathan Case)

Griffin Tucker on Facebook