Jen Clay
Staff Writer
Photo Courtesy of Center for The
Arts
Josh Gracin is a busy man. Between record promotion and fatherly duties, the “American Idol 2” finalist and country music crooner has embarked on a month-and-a-half-long tour in support of his self-titled debut album.
And to catch the show, Waves don’t have to travel farther than their own backyard. Gracin will make a stop at Pepperdine for a solo show in the newly renovated Smothers Theatre tomorrow night.
In a phone interview, the 23-year-old country artist said he’s “very excited” for his solo tour and sometimes opening slot for country artist Brad Paisley.
“First time, you go off running here and see what exactly, you know, what it’s like and start making a name for yourself,” he said. “I mean, touring and then doing live shows is where it’s at.”
Gracin, who was the resident Marine on the second season of “American Idol,” released his album to much fanfare in June. The best-selling debut from a male country artist in SoundScan history, “Josh Gracin” debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard albums chart, a feat all the more surprising considering Gracin recorded the album on weekends, holidays and leave days. Gracin, whose unit was never deployed overseas, was honorably discharged in September from military service at San Diego’s Camp Pendleton 10 days shy of his four-year mark.
With songs like “The Other Little Soldier,” multi-instrumentalist Gracin (two plays the piano, guitar and saxophone) said he had a method for picking the right material for the album.
“I wanted to pick songs that had meaning personally to me for the album,” Gracin said. “That way it would come off better.”
The fourth-place “AI” finisher overall, Gracin caught the tail-end of the first season of “American Idol” when his wife was watching the summer 2002 finale, and he said she encouraged him to try out for the show.
Gracin’s superiors granted his request, but considering the show auditioned 70,000 hopefuls, Gracin said his superiors didn’t think he would actually make it. And despite once saying British “AI” judge Simon Cowell didn’t understand country music, Gracin did.
Not surprisingly, Gracin said his favorite judge was former pop star Paula Abdul.
“[Paula] would come after the show and speak to me and tell me I needed to calm down and not worry about anything else that was going on,” Gracin said. “She really, really tried to help me, you know, on and off the show.”
Interestingly enough, it was a post-competition “AI” performance which led to Gracin’s record deal. After being voted off the show, he returned noncompetitively and performed country trio Rascal Flatt’s “I’m Movin’ On” on a late-season episode. The Flatts just happened to be watching the show from their tour bus that night, and liking Gracin’s rendition of their tune, they put him in touch with country producer Marty Williams.
illiams scheduled label auditions for the “AI” contestant, and by January 2004, Gracin had signed with the Lyric Street label, a division of Hollywood Records.
Gracin credits “AI” with giving him skills he needs as a performer.
“American Idol gave me the confidence I needed again to get up there and sing in front of people,” Gracin said.
In addition, Gracin credits the military with teaching him the true meaning of self-discipline. Before he set foot on the “AI” stage, Gracin experienced a slew of unsuccessful attempts at a music career. He enlisted in the Marines in mid-2000 and continued his four-year term when the Marines did not allow him to join his “AI” season two castmates on tour. For a time, Gracin said he expected success to be handed to him, but the military changed that.
“The marine corps has given me the responsibility, discipline and the drive to be able to achieve all that I’ve achieved, basically given me a format, a prior format, a foundation to work off and it’s really helping me become stable and give me stability in all I want to,” Gracin said.
A former lance corporal under the 1st Service Support Group, Gracin said by the age of 11 he knew he wanted to be a singer. After falling in love with country music when his parents’ vintage pop-rock radio station changed formats to country, the eighth-grade Gracin performed at a school talent show and never looked back. Citing country’s “singability,” Gracin said he also likes the longevity the genre affords its artists.
“You could have had an album ten years ago, and haven’t released one since and be making a living just going off around and doing shows since it makes people just love the songs you have on your first album,” Gracin said.“You can have a long career in country music even if you aren’t in the forefront.”
Forefront or not, Gracin said he plans to play as long as the fans will have him.
“As long as they get into it and they’re enjoying it, I’ll enjoy it,” he said.
Seaver sophomore Megan Barnes is one such fan who said she plans to get her tickets for Friday night’s gig “pronto.” Barnes has watched “American Idol” from the beginning and said there were many things she liked about Gracin as a contestant.
“I liked that he was real and he showed a great deal of love for his family as well as his country,” Barnes said. “I rooted for him even when I knew Clay was better, but I just voted for both.”
Tickets for Gracin’s “I Want to Live” concert cost $10 for Pepperdine students, $30 for the public and $25 for all active U.S. military personnel. For more information, visit www. pepperdine.edu/arts or call the Smothers theatre box office at ext. 4522.
10-07-2004
