Gavin DeGraw in Salt Lake City

About Gavin DeGraw

Gavin DeGraw is a singer-songwriter who broke through in the mid-2000s with an unapologetic blend of soul, rock, and pop sensibilities. He's best known for "I Don't Want to Be," which became the theme song for One Tree Hill and basically defined a generation's soundtrack to high school drama. His music centers on emotional directness—he's not interested in obscuring what he's feeling. Songs like "Chariot" and "Follow Through" showcase his ability to build from intimate verses into anthemic choruses that hit harder than you'd expect from someone working in such a straightforward idiom. DeGraw's lived a genuinely interesting life: he busked in New York for years before getting signed, dealt with a serious bicycle accident that sidelined him for a while, and just kept writing. He's maintained a steady touring schedule and recording career without ever becoming the kind of overexposed pop star that burns out. His appeal is durable because there's no pretense to it—just a guy with a strong voice and actual things to say about love, loss, and trying to figure out who you are.

DeGraw puts real energy into live shows without relying on production gimmicks. Crowds sing along hard on the hits, but he actually holds attention during deeper cuts because his voice and guitar work are substantial. People genuinely connect with what he's doing onstage.

Known for I Don't Want to Be, Chariot, Follow Through, Belief, In Love with a Girl

Gavin DeGraw in Salt Lake City News

• Gavin DeGraw Obituary (1977 - 2023) - Pomona, CA - Deseret News Legacy | Obituary · Jul 24, 2023
• Brett Young Heading Out on Headlining Chapters Tour in 2020 Taste of Country · Nov 4, 2019
• Deer Valley Concert Series’ inaugural lineup announced starting with The Decemberists The Salt Lake Tribune · May 4, 2018
• Gavin DeGraw, Matt Nathanson to tour together USA Today · Mar 17, 2014
• Matt Nathanson Announces Co-Headline Summer Tour with Gavin DeGraw Guitar World · Mar 17, 2014

Live Music in Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City's music landscape has warmed up considerably to artists who blend rock, soul, and pop sensibilities. The city supports everything from indie rock to hip-hop, but there's a particular appetite for songwriters who actually play instruments and aren't afraid of a little melodic earnestness. DeGraw fits that bill perfectly—he's never been ironic about his craft, and Salt Lake audiences tend to respect that directness.

Salt Lake City road trip to see Gavin DeGraw?

Stay in the Avenues neighborhood—tree-lined streets with actual character, close enough to downtown but removed from the noise. For dinner, Lazy Dog in Sugar House serves exceptional Colorado lamb and maintains a wine list that doesn't insult your intelligence. Spend an afternoon at the Natural History Museum of Utah in Red Butte Canyon; the building itself is architecturally stunning and the collection gives real context to the landscape you're actually standing in. The city's proximity to actual mountains matters when you've got downtime.