The Music of J. S. Graves

I consider myself an “amateur musician,” simply a person who loves music. Most of my compositions on this site are songs for piano and soprano voice. Many of these songs will also be available for tenor or baritone ranges at a later date.  I am particularly interested in producing songs that attempt to communicate intense emotions, ideas or images in a very compact form. I am fascinated by the magic that can occur when words and music are successfully combined so that they produce something larger than themselves alone. I compose on a lovingly restored 1920 English Challen baby grand piano. Please visit the BIOGRAPHY link (left) for more details about me and my family.

Please click on the SHEET MUSIC link (left below) to see more of my music than is shown below. All of my music files are downloadable PDF files and do not require any program other than ADOBE ACROBAT READER to view and print them. Once downloaded you may print as many copies as you wish. You may also share my music with others as long as you do not sell it to them, and as long as they do not try to profit from performing my music or selling their performance. Please notify me if you feel you have discovered any editing errors or omissions in my works.

The white dog in my photo gallery was my Llewellin Setter, Angel. She inspired my song Lost Dog. The brown dog, Dusty, was my wife's Chollie, a mix of Chow and Collie. Both dogs are now deceased. Our current dogs, Bella, Sandy and Foxy, can also be seen in a group photo in my Gallery. The three river scenes are of May River in Bluffton, South Carolina, my ancestral home. That river inspired my mother to write the words that I used for my song, Like Man's Desire This River Is. The works of art are my wife's creations. She paints under the name of R. S. Perry. The snowy woods photo is of my back yard. The flower photos are springtime favorites here in Arkansas. Click on any image to enlarge it.

This site is a work in progress. I will be uploading more songs and pieces for solo piano as time permits. I will consider transposing certain of my works upon request. My prices include performance licenses only and do not include the right to record my music for resale without express permission from me. I have recently posted some of my songs on YouTube and I have posted some sound tracks for some of my songs here on my site. I will post more as time and opportunity permits.