Folk Rock
Greenwood, South Carolina, USA

“The Atonement: Is it a band? Is it a solo project under a band name? Is it some diabolical plot to add one more band to the overcrowded CD racks at your local music store? Well… YES.

Long Long ago (let's say 22 years or so ago) in a galaxy far far away (in the small town of Greenwood, South Carolina), the story began………

Anthony Gravley started playing piano in 1st grade and began playing guitar in the 5th grade. His Mom played / taught piano and his Dad taught him his first songs on guitar. The Beatles, The Byrds, Johnny Cash, Andre Crouch, Bob Dylan, and Abba were all part of Anthony initial musical repertoire. After official guitar lessons began, the repertoire took a slight shift. 'In 1981, I bought Duran Duran and U2's October. Those 2 cassettes were a HUGE impact on me. The guitar sounds coming from The Edge, Bono's vocals / lyrics, John Taylor's syncopated groove bass lines, Nick's hair color… ummm… never mind. Let's just say that I became a big fan of that music,' chuckles Gravley.

After playing in several bands through high school, volunteering at local recording studios and writing a few hundred songs, Anthony entered college and decided to pursue 'solo' endeavors. In college, he met a 'lovely girl' named Jennifer. They soon married. 'Jennifer has been such an inspiration in my music,' says Gravley. 'I often forget what I wrote about before I met her and before we had our two beautiful sons.' 1996 was the beginning of The Atonement. Rattled by what Anthony calls 'shameless self promotion' from using his own name, he decided to start performing and recording under the band name The Atonement. The summer of '97 saw the completion of the first cd from the atonement, Precious and Drowning. Steve Hindalong (The Choir), Buddy and Julie Miller (Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, etc.), and Addeybug Artists' Tim Keeler and Serry all added musical and / or vocal support to the project.

'Precious and Drowning was a very emotional record for me. There was a LOT going on in my life when I wrote those songs.' Death, life, love, questions of faith, health, hope, friendship, etc are all themes that appear throughout the atmospheric record.

Now joined live by bassist Scott Elingberg, drummer Bradley Smith, and Tim Keeler on acoustic guitars, The Atonement are working on material for a more 'upbeat' cd . Kevin Heuer, drummer for the band Vigilantes of Love will be bringing his groove to the new cd and some live performances as well.

Look for the new atonement cd to be released early fall '99 (gotta beat that y2k thing right?).”

1997 Addeybug Records

1. Echo
2. Want to Stand
3. No Way (In This World)
4. Clouded Moon
5. Burn
6. When I Fall
7. Precious and Drowning
8. What?
9. Echo
10. Want to Stand

Puddlegum - Kids Like Us Volume 1 (1999 Puddlegum Communications)
07) Want to Stand (radio edit)