WCAC

After singing his heart out on national TV, Waltham native Kevin James Graham is ready to take his talent to the next level.

Waltham Roots

The 33 year old Waltham High School graduate grew up in Warrendale Park, riding bikes around Lowell Field, and still lives in Waltham.

He comes from a musical family, surrounded by guitars and classic country such as Hank Williams and Merle Haggard. “Old soulful songs always come natural to me,” he said.

 

He studied under Jeff Wyman at Lexington Music on Moody, learning how to play rock guitar, as well as old-school blues. 

Aerosmith rehearsed at the Wherehouse in Waltham, and Kevin has some of Steven Tyler’s raw power as a vocalist. 

 

His current influences include country superstar Chris Stapleton, Aussie blues rockers The Teskey Brothers and The Red Clay Strays, a country rock outfit from Alabama.

Kevin developed his sound in various bands, including Rolling Nectar. “Something soulful, something sultry and something supple and sweet,” he said.

 

The video for his original song ”Looking for You” was shot at Gore Place, and the song got airplay on 92.5 The River and elsewhere. 

 

Striking out on his own, he performed national anthems at Fenway in front of tens of thousands of people, firing his ambition.

Happened on a Whim

In November 2023, Kevin saw a Facebook post about The Voice auditions while picking up food in Central Square in Cambridge.

He pulled his car over on a whim and sang “Looking for You” into his phone.

The performance earned him a blind audition for the 27th season of the NBC primetime show.

 

He channeled Rod Stewart’s raspy, rocking soul during a rendition of the Faces early ‘70s rocker “Stay with Me.”

An impressed Reba McIntire became his coach. His country roots led to an immediate connection.

 

In late October, Kevin and fellow Team Reba member Adam Bohanan battled, trading solos on Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control,” a Billboard Hot 100 #1 hit this year.

Reba ultimately chose Adam, bringing Kevin’s run on The Voice to an end. But he feels blessed for the opportunity and the advice he received.

 

“There’s amazing talent everywhere,” he said. “For me to be thrown in that pile, it’s definitely something I’m very proud of,” he said. 

“It’s rolling”

His time on national TV and in Youtube videos for The Voice made Kevin’s socials blow up, leading him to his next step.

In the coming months he plans to record a solo record, produced by a Boston native, that will develop his unique blend of soul, blues and country. 

 

He said songwriting involves a lot of crumbled paper and humility, but sometimes the inspiration flows “like an IV drip.”

 

“It’s channeled. I don’t even know where it’s coming from,” Kevin said.

Courtesy photos