Devon Gilfillian is an American

soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest atte ...

singer-songwriter based in

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and ...

Early life

Gilfillian is originally from

Morton, Pennsylvania Morton is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,778 at the 2020 census. Geography Morton is located in eastern Delaware County at (39.910612, -75.327273). It is bordered to the north, east, and west by ...

. He began playing guitar at age 14, and while still in high school played in a band called Black Sheep. He attended

West Chester University West Chester University (also known as West Chester, WCU, or WCUPA, and officially as West Chester University of Pennsylvania) is a public research university in and around West Chester, Pennsylvania. The university is accredited by the Middle ...

, where he graduated with a degree in

psychology Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries between ...

, and also played in cover bands. Growing up, his father, Nelson Gilfillian, was a singer and percussionist in a local band.

Career

After moving to Nashville in 2013, Gilfillian joined a local blues cover band. In 2016, he released his debut self-titled EP, of gospel-inspired blues-rock. His major label debut album ''Black Hole Rainbow'' was released on January 10, 2020, on Capitol Records. It was nominated for a 2021

Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical The Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical has been awarded since 1959. The award had several minor name changes: * In 1959, the award was known as Best Engineered Record – Non-Classical * In 1960, it was awarded as Best Engineeri ...

. The album features production from

Shawn Everett Shawn Everett (born July 6, 1982) is a Canadian music engineer and producer best known for his work with Alabama Shakes, Kacey Musgraves, The War on Drugs, The Killers, and Julian Casablancas. Everett has won six Grammy Awards. Early life Ever ...

, and co-writing from

Jamie Lidell Jamie Alexander Lidderdale (born 18 September 1973, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, England), known professionally as Jamie Lidell, is an English musician, soul singer and podcast host living in Nashville, Tennessee. Lidell was formerly a part of ...

. Three of the album's singles reached the ''Billboard''

Adult Alternative Songs Adult Alternative Airplay (also known as Triple A or Triple A Airplay, and formerly Adult Alternative Songs and Triple A Songs) is a record chart currently published by ''Billboard'' that ranks the most popular songs on adult album alternative rad ...

chart: "Unchained" peaked at number 7, "Get Out and Get It" peaked at number 12, and "The Good Life" peaked at number 5. On October 22, 2020, Gilfillian released a track-by-track cover of Marvin Gaye's 1971 album '' What's Going On''.

Performances

Gilfillian performed at

Newport Folk Festival Newport Folk Festival is an annual American folk-oriented music festival in Newport, Rhode Island, which began in 1959 as a counterpart to the Newport Jazz Festival. It was one of the first modern music festivals in America, and remains a foca ...

and Montreal Jazz Fest, and at the 2018 NFL Draft in Dallas. On March 7, 2020, he made his national television debut on ''

CBS This Morning ''CBS This Morning'' (''CTM'') is an American morning television program that aired on CBS from November 30, 1987, to October 29, 1999, and again from January 9, 2012, to September 6, 2021. The program was aired from Monday through Saturday. ...

'', performing the track "The Good Life". He opened for

Brothers Osborne Brothers Osborne is an American country music duo consisting of brothers T.J. Osborne (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) and John Osborne (lead guitar, background vocals). Born in Deale, Maryland, the duo signed a recording contract with EMI Records ...

on their 2019 tour, and

Grace Potter Grace Evelyn Potter (born June 20, 1983) is an American singer-songwriter and musician who formed Grace Potter and the Nocturnals in 2002. Potter released her debut solo record ''Original Soul'' on 2004 via Grace Potter Music. Potter and her b ...

on her 2020 US tour. He has also opened for Mavis Staples,

Gladys Knight Gladys Maria Knight (born May 28, 1944), known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer, actress and businesswoman. A seven-time Grammy Award-winner, Knight recorded hits through the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s with her family group Gladys K ...

, and Michael McDonald. He performed a cover of Marvin Gaye's " Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" on ''

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert ''The Late Show with Stephen Colbert'' is an American late-night news and liberal political satire talk show hosted by Stephen Colbert, which premiered on September 8, 2015. Produced by Spartina Productions and CBS Studios, it is the second ...

'' on October 23, 2020, and performed "The Good Life" on

Jimmy Kimmel Live ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'' is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, broadcast on ABC. The nightly hour-long show debuted on January 26, 2003, at Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hollywood, California, as part of ABC's lea ...

in December 2020.

Discography

Albums

EP

Singles

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gilfillian, Devon Living people American male singer-songwriters Capitol Records artists 21st-century American singers American soul singers American soul guitarists Singers from Nashville, Tennessee People from Delaware County, Pennsylvania Singer-songwriters from Pennsylvania 21st-century American male singers Year of birth missing (living people) Singer-songwriters from Tennessee