Chris Graves
Chris Graves is a Rapid City singer-songwriter whose music draws from blues, folk and Americana. Built around a strong vocal delivery and guitar-driven arrangements, his work moves between solo acoustic performances and a fuller, harder-driving sound. Graves released the original single “Lightning” in 2023 and has also recorded several collaborations with Black Hills songwriter Devon Sants.
About
Chris Graves is a Rapid City singer-songwriter and guitarist whose music pulls together blues, folk and Americana. His live performances are built around a strong vocal presence, guitar and a playing style that can move from stripped-down songwriter sets to heavier, more rhythmic material.
Graves has become a regular part of the Black Hills live music circuit, appearing at venues, songwriter events and festivals throughout Rapid City, Deadwood, Sturgis and the surrounding Hills. His 2026 schedule has included Sprockets’ Summer Music Series in Keystone, KatmanDoozie near Sturgis and Beats Boogie & Beer in Rapid City, with an appearance at the Wild West Songwriters Festival in Deadwood also on the calendar.
His recorded work includes the 2023 solo single “Lightning.” Graves has also developed an ongoing musical connection with fellow Black Hills songwriter Devon Sants. He appears with Sants on “I’m Not a Hero,” released in 2021, “Bad Guy” in 2024 and “Cocaethylene” in 2025.
That combination of original songwriting, regular solo performances and collaborations with other regional musicians places Graves firmly within the current Black Hills singer-songwriter scene.