Gavin DeGraw

Gavin Shane DeGraw (born February 4, 1977) is an American singer-songwriter. He rose to fame following the release of his song "I Don't Want to Be" from his debut album, Chariot (2003). The song served as the main theme song for the television drama series One Tree Hill.

DeGraw was raised in South Fallsburg, New York. His mother worked as a detox specialist nurse practitioner and his father was a corrections officer, occupations DeGraw referenced in "I Don't Want to Be". He began singing and playing piano at eight years old. Raised in a musical family alongside two older siblings, he played in a local Catskills group called The People's Band during his youth. After discovering Ray Charles and Sam Cooke, he began writing his own songs. He briefly attended Ithaca College on a music scholarship before moving to Boston to attend the Berklee College of Music for two semesters.

In March 1998, DeGraw relocated to Manhattan, performing at open-mic nights and building a reputation in the local music community before signing a record deal with J Records. His debut album, Chariot, was released in July 2003, selling over a million copies and earning a platinum certification. In addition to "I Don't Want to Be," which peaked at number 10 on the U.S. charts, the album spawned the gold-certified singles "Follow Through" and "Chariot." An acoustic version, Chariot Stripped, followed in 2004.

DeGraw released his self-titled second studio album in 2008, preceded by the top-40 single "In Love with a Girl." His third album, Free, was released in 2009. Moving to RCA Records, DeGraw released his fourth album, Sweeter, in 2011; its single "Not Over You" topped the Adult Pop Songs chart and earned platinum certification. In 2013, he released the album Make a Move and co-wrote "We Both Know" with Colbie Caillat for the film Safe Haven, which received a Grammy Award nomination. He released the greatest hits album Finest Hour: The Best of Gavin DeGraw in 2014 and his sixth album, Something Worth Saving, in 2016.

In 2022, DeGraw released his seventh studio album, Face the River, along with a documentary covering the record's creation and his parents' deaths. After signing with Sony Music Nashville in 2023, he released the EP A Classic Christmas and embarked on a world tour across the U.S. and Europe in 2023 and 2024. He also announced Chariot 20, a re-recorded version of his debut album featuring two previously unreleased tracks.

Beyond his recording releases, DeGraw appeared in television series including Dead Like Me, One Tree Hill, What I Like About You, and season 14 of Dancing with the Stars. In December 2007, DeGraw and his brother opened The National Underground in Manhattan, later co-owning the Nashville Underground in Tennessee and the Open Range steakhouse in Montana.