Jon Dee Graham, Rod Picott

Jon Dee Graham is a singer, guitarist and songwriter from Austin, Texas. He was born February 28, 1959 and was raised on a ranch near the Mexican border. Graham was named the Austin Musician of the Year during the South by Southwest (SXSW) music conference in 2006. He was inducted into the Austin Music Hall of Fame three times: as a solo artist in 2000, again in 2008 as a member of The Skunks (one of America's 1st punk-rock bands), and again in 2009 as a member of the True Believers (with Alejandro Escovedo). He has also been a side-man for several artists including John Doe (X), Michelle Shocked, Kelly Willis, Lou Ann Barton (Double Trouble) and Alejandro Escovedo. He has had songs covered by Patty Smythe, Patty Griffin and James McMurtry, among others, His latest release is the critically acclaimed "Garage Sale" and his second since a life-threatening car crash that kept him off the road for several years. He has also spent the last year touring and recording with the reformed True Believers, who will release their first record since 1986 sometime next year.


The son of a welder from rural New England, Rod Picott is a masterful songwriter and soulful singer who carries with him as fine a suitcase of songs as you'll find anywhere. Slaid Cleaves, Ray Wylie Hubbard and Fred Eaglesmith have recorded Rod Picott songs. A former construction worker who hung up his tools when he released his debut cd in 2000, Picott has carved a career for himself with a run of 6 beautifully crafted self released cds over the last 13 years and a well earned reputation as an engaging, emotion fueled performer.

Hang Your Hopes On a Crooked Nail, produced by RS Field [Billy Joe Shaver, Justin Townes Earle, Hayes Carl] is a collection of carefully crafted songs of rugged truth and beauty. Recorded at Joe Pisapia's [KD Lang, Guster] Middletree Studios in East Nashville the CD highlights Picott's particular gift for exploring complex themes in common language. The eleven songs on Hang Your Hopes On a Crooked Nail offer an unblinking albeit wry gaze into our common heart and a clenched fist of defiance against the trials that tear at our humanity.

Praise for Rod Picott

"…an artist who deserves to be heard" -Mary Gauthier

"…Beautiful and heartbreaking songs-one of the best on the Americana and folk scene" -Slaid Cleaves

"…If you're a fan of great songwriting, you're a fan of Rod Picott. Simple as that." -Brian

Koppelman [Director/Screenwriter -Oceans Thirteen, Solitary Man, Rounders]