Brian Wheat profile picture

Brian Wheat

Where Have You Been ?

About Me


In casual conversation, Brian Wheat is a man who pauses occasionally, carefully pondering each exchanged word before responding. Similarly, his songwriting demonstrates fascinating detail that surpasses simple storytelling, and delves into patient studies of the emotional context surrounding a moment. It is clear that the strong sense of community that exists in Buffalo, NY, his current roost, has manifested itself in the themes of home and human connection that pervade his work.
In his youngest years Wheat spent his childhood in a small Upstate New York town where he yearned for a broader scope and greater diversity, but also developed a deep admiration for the tradition and intimacy of a close-knit community. However, despite learning the virtue of being rooted, Brian has not been one to stand still. Somewhere in between he has performed at Moroccan festivals, busked in Spain, played for room and board at Australian hostels, shared folk songs with Fijian natives, earned degrees in biology and education, and perfected the art of the falafel as a short-order cook. Wheat’s desire to combine mobility and exploration versus a need for intimate connection rings clear throughout his continually growing body of work.
Fortified with a dynamic, evocative voice and songs that float with both a secular religion of home and the architecture of ghostly pasts, Wheat blends the immediately tangible with an elusive sense of the enduring. Being influenced by the distinctive songwriting of groups like Cake, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Iron and Wine, and Neil Young, there is a refreshing reality to Wheat’s music; revealing layered continuums of experience, rather than clean, simplified absolutes. You can expect to be carefully ushered through a place suspended somewhere between modernity and bygone eras, without the risk of being trapped in either of the two.
Wheat also has developed an extraordinary ability to combine his impressive guitar, banjo, and harmonica chops with a keen knowledge of how and when (and when not) to employ them in service of a song. Accompanying this subtle phrasing is his band Groggy Darlin’, an all-star cast of Western New York music veterans. Bassist Peter Williams, multi-instrumentalist Peter Gerace, and drummer Mark Longolucco map out the peaks and valleys that define the music’s weathered landscapes and consistently complement Wheat’s rare ability to bring a crowded room to an attentive silence. Together, they create music that is at once earthy, refined, organic, melodic, and perfectly suited for the time-honored format and progressive delivery that is characteristic of Wheat’s songwriting.
After much anticipation, Brian Wheat and Groggy Darlin’ present their debut full-length release Where You Have Been, on Wheat’s own Half Little Hold Records. This meticulously crafted album, a follow up to Wheat’s 2006 eponymous debut EP, was recorded at Harvest Sum Studios in Orchard Park, NY and mastered at Studio B, Ltd. in Omaha, NE by Doug Van Sloun (Bright Eyes, Damien Jurado, Songs: Ohia). The disc packaging features artwork by Wheat’s old time friend, Caitlin Clifford, and layout/hand-letterpress work by Shelly Bronson of French Press in Buffalo. These hand-assembled and hand-numbered albums, limited to a first run of only five hundred copies, show a standard of quality that is obviously upheld by Wheat in any and all of his works.
The band’s moving live performances, as well as Wheat’s solo works, have garnered him a diverse and expansive fan base, as well as support positions for some of today’s most exciting national and international acoustic artists, including Band of Horses (SupPop), Mark Kozelek (Red House Painters/Sun Kil Moon), Hamell on Trial (Righteous Babe Records), David Dondero (Team Love), Oakley Hall (Brah Records), Olde Tyme Relijun (K Records), Rachel Ries (Waterbug), Robert Blake (Same Room Records), and Ember Swift (Few’ll Ignite).
-Peter Burakowski, Dissertation Productions
  • For booking and additional information contact: [email protected]

  • Hungry IPod? Buy the album [digitally] here:
    Hungry Baby? Buy the album here:

    My Interests

    Music:

    Member Since: 4/7/2005
    Band Website: brianwheatmusic.com
    Band Members: ::Brian Wheat (Vocals, Guitar, Banjo, Harmonica, Organ, Mandolin, Clarinet)::Peter Williams (Bass)::Mark LOngoLuccO (Drums, Broom)::::::Peter Gerace (Electric Guitar, Mandolin [Live], Banjo [Live]):::::also featuring:
    Rachel Ries [Backup Vocals]; Mark Nosowicz [Piano/Organ]; Helen Butler [Violin]; Nick Delbello [Trumpet]:::::::::::

    And if you'd like to take us home with you....

    Start with this:

    SIGN OUR MAILING LIST FOR FREE MUSIC DOWNLOADS AND UPDATES!!

    And then there's this of course...

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    Brian Wheat and Groggy Darlin' "Where You Have Been" - CD
    ____________________________________________________________ ____________

    INTERNATIONAL BUYERS CLICK HERE:

    Influences: Anywhere from Neil Diamond to NoFX to Nancy Reagan
    Sounds Like: Rod Stewart and Iron and Wine, together, in bed on a sunday morning.....huh!?!Maybe this will help:
    Record Label: Half Little Hold Records
    Type of Label: Indie

    My Blog

    Interview in mhome town, Gasport!!

    This is a great blog interview with a fellow in my hometown, Gasport, NY. I am, much to my pleasant surprise, mentioned alongside Belva Lockwood (famous women's rights activist from Gasport, NY). Ch...
    Posted by Brian Wheat on Sun, 03 Feb 2008 09:10:00 PST

    Interview in Gusto

    GUSTO ArticleTake a look.....interview with a very cruise ship lounge singer photo. Enjoy!
    Posted by Brian Wheat on Sat, 24 Nov 2007 10:22:00 PST

    Live recording/Interview w/ WBFO (NPR 88.1 fm)

    ">Buffalo Avenues: Featuring Brian Wheat, AniDifranco, Andrew Bird (WBFO 88.1 Fm; NPR) Check this out guys! You can download the interview/recording as it was aired. The program is called "Buffalo...
    Posted by Brian Wheat on Sun, 18 Nov 2007 09:32:00 PST

    Best Solo Artist (Best of Western New York 2007)

    Hi all!!Just wanted to let you know that I was recently voted "Best Solo Artist" at this year's (2007) Buffalo Spree Magazine Best of WNY awards event.  Whoa!I really appreciate everyone's suppor...
    Posted by Brian Wheat on Thu, 12 Jul 2007 05:19:00 PST

    Live Recording (Downloadable) w/ New Songs!!

    Hi folks!Just wanted to let you know that you can download a Podcast (digital recording) of our show at the Tralf (5/25).   here:  Buffalo Live! Music PodcastDoc Wu, of Buffalo Live Mus...
    Posted by Brian Wheat on Thu, 12 Jul 2007 05:02:00 PST

    Debut Album! To be released March '07!

    The long awaited debut album of one Brian Wheat and his band Groggy Darlin' will be released in March of 2007.  This will be a full 12 songs of Sunday morning sleepy-headed swagger for all to enj...
    Posted by Brian Wheat on Mon, 11 Dec 2006 12:24:00 PST

    Clash of the Titans

    Well it has been a long time coming but The Brian Wheat of the West (See my top 8!) has finally given some response to the many attempts, sent by The Brian Wheat of the East, to connect to and stir ac...
    Posted by Brian Wheat on Wed, 26 Apr 2006 09:21:00 PST

    REVIEW: The Generation (University at Buffalo)

    RIGHTEOUS BABE RECORDS SHOWCASE Concert Review- Nietzsche's 8/10 by Peter Scheck "........It was surprising to see so many people at a small club on a weekday, especially without a big name attractio...
    Posted by Brian Wheat on Thu, 23 Feb 2006 09:08:00 PST

    Words from Courtney Love

    Courtney Love Does The Math An extremely interesting and provocative article addressing different aspects of  the current status of the music industry courtesy of Courtney Love......just read it...
    Posted by Brian Wheat on Tue, 27 Dec 2005 08:48:00 PST

    His name is Brian Wheat

    Well. Its time that I let you all in on a little secret. It has come to my attention that there is some confusion as to whether or not I am in fact the bass player for the 80's Rock Super Group.....
    Posted by Brian Wheat on Mon, 01 Jan 1900 12:00:00 PST