The popular singer’s latest album topped an all-new December chart of Michigan releases which also included debuts by Short Panic, Space Bar, LVRS and Ben Traverse & Nick Veine.

Shooting Straight to the Top of the Chart: Hannah Rose Graves’ ‘Medicine.’ (Photo/Chelsea Whitaker)
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When Local Spins first interviewed Hannah Rose Graves more than a decade ago, the Grand Rapids-area singer-songwriter made it clear she was destined for a life of music and a life in the spotlight.
“I was born to sing to the world,” she insisted in that October 2013 interview. “I’ve been singing since I could speak. It’s like this energy force that comes from way deep down that I can’t really ignore. … I can’t really see myself doing anything else besides singing the rest of my life.”
After 10 years of propelling several different musical outfits and collaborative projects (Hannah Rose & The GravesTones, Benzing Graves Collective, Hannah Rose Band and more), that energy force and her powerful, soulful and bluesy voice have now propelled her latest solo album, “Medicine,” straight to the top of the Local Spins Hot Top 5 Chart for December, representing the album by a Michigan artist receiving the most radio airplay at WYCE 88.1 FM.
“I am beyond honored to have the support of this vibrant community. Part of the reason I stayed in Michigan was directly due to the strength of the community here,” said the Rockford native.
“This album is special for many reasons. It is the first album I have created with a team that when completed was a cohesive piece in its entirety, a story, the story of our lives.”
Recorded at Kalamazoo’s La Luna Recording & Sound and Grand Rapids’ Local Legend Recording, “Medicine” features a who’s who cast of Michigan musicians and songwriters including Austin Benzing, Andy Szumowski, Andy Travis, Luke Lenhart, Jeremiah Wenger, Zach Potter, Zach Dubay, Daveonce Washington, Brad Fritcher, Nate Hansen, Dutcher Snedeker, Mark Lavengood, Joshua Kaufman, Eric Engblade, Devin Anderson, Meredith Hague, Evelyine/Lauren Kelly, Rowdy Fingers, Jack Biedler, John Blankenship, Dan Wall, Justin Murphy,Jacob Bustamente and Debra Perry & Majestic Praise.
Graves said the songs were inspired by people and places, “songs to tell the stories of loved ones, to raise awareness about mental health care, to heal.”

Pushing the Album as Far as It Will Go: Hannah Rose Graves (Photo/Anna Sink)
She said she’s committed to “pushing the album as far as it can go” in 2024 via marketing, branding and widespread distribution, from the Upper Peninsula to “as many earholes as possible.”
That includes performing at the new spring edition of Hoxeyville (May 31-June 2), continuing to host her weekly, Wednesday night open-mic “talent show” at Grand Rapids’ Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill and playing Billy’s Lounge with Lady Ace Boogie as part of a special birthday celebration on Jan. 12.
And she’ll continue to “write and pull inspiration from life,” Graves said, with plans for returning to Local Legend Recording.
Graves’ new album tops an all-new chart of releases by Michigan artists, with the self-titled debut album by the funky Short Panic coming at No. 2, followed by Space Bar’s jazzy “Hello World,” LVRS’ alt-rock release “Joy Compass” and, finally, Ben Traverse & Nick Veine’s Celtic folk collection, “Me Grief and Tears to Smother: Traditional Songs & Ballads of the Irish Diaspora.”
Listen to tracks from all of the albums below, closing out a year of diversity in the Local Spins Hot Top 5. Check out previous charts online here.
HOT TOP 5 ON SPOTIFY: December 2023
Listen to tracks from Space Bar on Bandcamp here:
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