Graham Colton's seen it all in the business: In college, he developed a fervent grassroots fanbase (aided by the advent of file-sharing), and soon was plucked from pubs and coffeehouses by Counting Crows' Adam Duritz, who'd go on to serve as one of his two musical mentors. From there, Colton formed the aptly named Graham Colton Band, released a major-label album filled with radio-ready pop-rock (2004's Drive), and began a high-profile romance with pop star Kelly Clarkson. Along the way, he enjoyed a hit single ("Best Days," from 2007's Here Right Now), which would launch him onto Letterman, Leno, and American Idol – just to name a few. Colton now takes his career into his own hands as an independent artist; his new album, Lonely Ones, is a collection of neo-psych-inspired pop that's among the best music of his career, and he's also the co-founder of Fanswell – an innovative new platform that allows artists and listeners to come together to create intimate concert environments.

I caught up with Graham to chat about writing with some of the business' biggest names; his relationship with Flaming Lips frontman (and fellow Oklahoman) Wayne Coyne; how his childhood best friend, Wes Welker, is currently making waves of his own as a Pro Bowl receiver in the NFL; and much more. If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or YouTube so you don’t miss a single episode of the stories behind your favorite songs. Thanks for listening!

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Links:Graham Colton's Twitter | WebsiteFanswell's WebsiteLonely Ones on iTunesVoice & Verse Podcast on iTunes | Stitcher | YouTube | Facebook