By Olivia Turner | Arts & Life Editor
A free concert is in order ahead of the football game Saturday against Arizona State, featuring alumni and Texas locals, the Graham St. Clair Band.
The show is set to start at 4:30 p.m. at Seat Geek Stage in Touchdown Alley, right outside of McLane Stadium, before the debut of the Big 12 Conference Fall Tour.
While the country band’s lead vocalist and namesake inspiration, Graham St. Clair, hails from Lubbock, he said the band has roots at Baylor. He said he originally did solo work, but was once asked to open for Cam Albright as “a full band” for a San Marcos show, which led him to gather some of his other musically gifted friends to play with him. They haven’t stopped since.
“I always say that the founding members were kind of Jackson Wright and myself — he plays lead guitar in the band, and he was my big brother in our fraternity,” St. Clair said. “I didn’t know we were starting a band until it happened, and then we played our first show … and we had a ton of fun doing it.”
At the time, the band donned the name “Graham St. Clair and the West Texas Wind,” which evolved into “West Texas Wind” and finally landed upon “Graham St. Clair Band” once it became clear there was too much confusion between their name and the song by NEEDTOBREATHE.
As the group gained traction, they began playing bars like Freight and booking gigs around Texas. That summer, the group recorded their debut album, “Roaming Home,” and released their latest single, “Outlaw Bill,” in April.
The Graham St. Clair Band now consists of St. Clair on vocals, drummer and percussionist Jackson Cossey, lead electric guitarist Wright, bassist Raymond Spell, rhythm electric guitarist Sean Douglas and pedal steel guitarist Stiles Clements. Since their graduation, the band recorded an EP with a release date yet to be announced and have been playing as many gigs as possible, including Tanglefoot Festival Friday night.
“We were thrilled to get called on by Baylor,” St. Clair said. “That’s a dream come true. It’s really exciting to feel supported by our school.”
St. Clair said he is especially excited to be playing a show that will precede a game in which a dear hometown friend will play — quarterback Sawyer Robertson.
“He was one of my best friends my whole childhood,” St. Clair said. “It’s really cool to get to come and play our conference opener during his last season with Baylor. I’ve been on the phone with him, and I think we’re both pretty pumped about it, so I’m glad to be able to be there and be a part of the atmosphere.”
To have live music at a Baylor tailgate is something St. Clair could have only dreamed of as a student, he said.
“I’m just so excited that they’re starting to do it now … hopefully there is a future in that,” he said.
The game against Arizona State will start at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are available for purchase at the Baylor Athletics Ticket Office website.
