About

Gary's Career

As early as 5 years old Gary has been playing music. Back in the early days he was a jazz and classic rock drummer playing with local Chicago bands through high school. After a short stint in the Navy, Gary started playing guitar and writing songs for local coffee houses and clubs in the Chicagoland area with such notables as Steve Goodman and John Prine.

Being noticed by talent agents Gary was quickly thrown into the limelight performing with Neil Diamond in concerts and on radio shows across the country. 

As a singer songwriter, publishers started taking an interest in Gary's songs. Several of which were published and recorded by artists across many genres, primarily in the Country Music market. 

Gary signed on as a staff writer with a major publishing company in Nashville. There he worked on many of the hits still heard today by George Jones, George Strait, Don Williams, Alan Jackson, the Manhattans and others.

Gary was "Songwriter of the Year" for the Kentucky Fried Chicken and Wrangler Jeans national songwriting competition in 1980 and 1981 and was immediately noticed in Nashville. 

The Grand Ole Opry and the Nashville Network contacted Gary about performing and writing songs for the TV show "You Can Be A Star". Gary was the winner of the first season of the "star search" show and had demand across the country so... he hit the open road performing with many major stars including Roy Clark, Don Williams, Conway Twitty, Marty Robbins, Oak Ridge Boys, Larry Gatlin, Tanya Tucker, Hank Thompson, Con Hundley, Donna Fargo, Eddie Raven and many, many others. 

Gary also performed on several other Nashville Network Shows including Nashville Now, Pickin’ at the Paradise and I-40 Paradise. Then, on weekday mornings, live from the Opryland Hotel, Gary would do the morning talk show "Waking Crew" with Ralph Emery.

Gary's agent called one day asking him to play bit parts in major motion pictures where he played a "Thug" in the Martin Scorsese film "Hoffa" with Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito and Armond Asanti. He also played the part of a " drunken bar fly" in Scorsese's film "Mad Dog and Glory" with Robert DeNiro, Uma Thermon, Bill Murray and Richard Belzer. Gary had miscellaneous parts as a store clerk in "Home Alone 2", Spike Lee's - "Mo Money" and "Watch It" with Peter Gabriel.

Gary is currently performing all around the mid-west, Arizona and Florida.

Book him now! Gary@Naturalpreserve.com

 

 

Sunshine On The Rocks

Gary Growden

Vinyl

In cart Not available Out of stock

VERY LIMITED vinyl collection. Ten original songs including the hit single from 1977 "Gitchy Goomy" by Gary Growden and Neil Diamond. Album was a #1 hit in the Philippines in 2014

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Shows

Date Event Location
Gary Growden Scooters Grill and Pub, Chisago City, MN Scooters Grill and Pub, Chisago City, MN
Gary Growden American Legion, New Richmond, WI American Legion, New Richmond, WI
Gary Growden Cornerstone Pub and Prime, Wyoming, MN Cornerstone Pub and Prime, Wyoming, MN
Gary Growden Tony's Bar & Grill, Center City, MN Tony's Bar & Grill, Center City, MN
Gary Growden Salty Heifer, New Richmond, WI Salty Heifer, New Richmond, WI
Gary Growden Cornerstone Pub and Prime, Wyoming, MN Cornerstone Pub and Prime, Wyoming, MN
Gary Growden Scooters Grill and Pub, Chisago City, MN Scooters Grill and Pub, Chisago City, MN
Gary Growden Cornerstone Pub and Prime, Wyoming, MN Cornerstone Pub and Prime, Wyoming, MN
Gary Growden Peers Bar, St Croix Falls, WI Peers Bar, St Croix Falls, WI
Gary Growden and Friends Arts in the Park, Forest Lake, MN Arts in the Park, Forest Lake, MN
Gary Growden Salty Heifer, New Richmond, WI Salty Heifer, New Richmond, WI
Gary Growden Big Rock Creek, St Croix Falls, WI Big Rock Creek, St Croix Falls, WI
Gary Growden Cornerstone Pub and Prime, Wyoming, MN Cornerstone Pub and Prime, Wyoming, MN
Gary Growden and Friends Overlook Park, St Croix Falls, WI Overlook Park, St Croix Falls, WI
Gary Growden Cornerstone Pub and Prime, Wyoming, MN Cornerstone Pub and Prime, Wyoming, MN
Gary Growden Rustic Roots Winery, Scandia, MN Rustic Roots Winery, Scandia, MN
Gary Growden Salty Heifer, New Richmond, WI Salty Heifer, New Richmond, WI
Gary Growden AC Hotel, Bloomington, MN AC Hotel, Bloomington, MN
Gary Growden Cornerstone Pub and Prime, Wyoming, MN Cornerstone Pub and Prime, Wyoming, MN
Gary Growden Cornerstone Pub and Prime, Wyoming, MN Cornerstone Pub and Prime, Wyoming, MN
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