Devon Gilfillian is an American soul singer-songwriter based in Nashville, Tennessee.[1]
Devon Gilfillian | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Morton, PA |
| Genres | Soul, gospel blues |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 2013–present |
| Labels | Fantasy Records, Capitol |
| Website | devongilfillian |
Early life
Gilfillian is originally from Morton, Pennsylvania.[2] He began playing guitar at age 14,[3] and while still in high school played in a band called Black Sheep.[4] He attended West Chester University,[5] where he graduated with a degree in psychology, and also played in cover bands including Hot Spoon Gilly.[6] Growing up, his father, Nelson Gilfillian,[5] was a singer and percussionist in a local band.[2]
Career
After moving to Nashville in 2013, Gilfillian joined a local blues cover band.[2] In 2016, he released his debut self-titled EP, of gospel-inspired blues-rock.[2][6]
His major label debut album Black Hole Rainbow was released on January 10, 2020, on Capitol Records.[7][8] It was nominated for a 2021 Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.[9] The album features production from Shawn Everett, and co-writing from Jamie Lidell.[1][6] Three of the album's singles reached the Billboard Adult Alternative Songs chart: "Unchained" peaked at number 7, "Get Out and Get It" peaked at number 12, and "The Good Life" peaked at number 5.[10]
On October 22, 2020, Gilfillian released a track-by-track cover of Marvin Gaye's 1971 album What's Going On[11] with 100% of the profits donated to Tennessee's Equity Alliance Fund.[12]
On April 7, 2023, Devon released his second full-length studio album Love You Anyway via Fantasy Records. Produced by Jeremy Lutito (Joy Oladokun, NEEDTOBREATHE), the album includes the single “All I Really Wanna Do” which peaked at #6 on Billboard’s Adult Alternative Songs chart.[13][14]
Performances
Gilfillian performed at Newport Folk Festival and Montreal Jazz Fest,[15] and at the 2018 NFL Draft in Dallas.[16] On March 7, 2020, he made his national television debut on CBS This Morning, performing the track "The Good Life".[3] He opened for Brothers Osborne on their 2019 tour,[17] and Grace Potter on her 2020 US tour.[15] He has also opened for Mavis Staples, Gladys Knight, and Michael McDonald.[6][18] He performed a cover of Marvin Gaye's "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on October 23, 2020,[19] and performed "The Good Life" on Jimmy Kimmel Live in December 2020.[20]
In April 2023, he headlined his national Love You Anyway Tour.[21]
Discography
Albums
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Black Hole Rainbow |
|
| What's Going On | |
| Love You Anyway |
|
EP
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Devon Gilfillian |
|
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US AAA [10] | ||||
| "Here and Now" | 2017 | — | Devon Gilfillian | |
| "Troublemaker" | 2018 | — | Non-album singles | |
| "High" | — | |||
| "Truth" (feat. Tate Tucker) | — | |||
| "Winter Wonderland" | — | |||
| "Feels Good" | 2019 | — | ||
| "Get Out and Get It" | 12 | Black Hole Rainbow | ||
| "Unchained" | 7 | |||
| "The Good Life" | 2020 | 5 | ||
| "Freedom" (with Illiterate Light) | 8 | Non-album single | ||
| "All I Really Wanna Do" | 2023 | 6 | Love You Anyway | |
| "Love You Anyway" | 25 | |||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||