Music and Social Economy Office: An upcoming panel at the 2026 Sociable City Summit in Nashville, will feature Graham along with Jimmy Wheeler from the Tennessee Music Office; Benton McDonough, Director of Nashville’s Office of Nightlife and NITECAP Alliance representative; and Michael Rodriguez, 24-Hour Commissioner from New South Wales, Australia.
Mental Health Challenges in the Music Industry: The conversation highlighted significant mental-health and addiction challenges faced by musicians and industry workers, especially those on tour. The Sims Foundation was noted as a nonprofit providing mental-health and addiction services to musicians, with ongoing challenges around board engagement and funding.
Texas Music Office Initiatives: The Texas Music Office plays a key role in supporting music cities statewide. Programs include the Texas Music Incubator Rebate Program, which provides financial assistance to small venues and festivals, and initiatives to foster collaboration and resources for music communities. The importance of recognizing contributions beyond performers—such as sound engineers and venue staff—was emphasized.
Funding Boost for Texas Music Venues: Renewed funding of $20.2 million over the biennium will enable rebates of up to $100,000 for eligible venues. Independent venues were highlighted for their resilience and creativity during COVID-19. The Music Friendly Texas Communities program promotes collaboration between state and local music offices to strengthen the industry.
Born and raised across the midwestern United States, Graham Weber has been a proud resident of Austin, Texas since 2004. He has released six solo studio albums, two live albums, as well as band releases with So, Long Problems, Western Youth, & Restos. He has toured North America and Europe and has supported many of his songwriting heroes including Guy Clark, Slaid Cleaves, Todd Snider, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Alejandro Escovedo, and many more. In addition to performing as a solo troubadour, he fronts American Rock & Roll band, Restos. In 2022, Weber teamed with fellow Austin artist Graham Wilkinson to create the Grahams Give Back. GGB has produced concerts multiple concerts every year since, to raise money for charitable organizations addressing homelessness and economic inequality in Austin.
In 2023, Restos released their debut album, and in 2024, Weber released his sixth solo studio album, Old Young Man.
From 2016 to 2023, Weber served as Artistic and Program Director for the international songwriting 501c3 - The House of Songs. In January 2025, Weber joined the Texas Music, a division of the Office of the Governor, as Marketing and Communications Specialist. In his current position he has focused on outreach with venues, municipalities, and music focused organizations with an emphasis on helping music and music related business know what tools are available to maintain and help grow the music economy in Texas.
