Over the next few months, interspersed between normal Vodka mined musical posts, will be Vodka’s favorites of the Austin 100 (in no particular order), NPR’s tracks of musicians that performed at SXSW. This year, of course, the event was canceled, so these artists need a bit more publicity to reach a broader audience. Watch for the tagline Vodka Austin Favorite or if you search for these tracks later, simply put “vodka austin” in the search. Let’s begin!

Devon Gilifillian takes soul music to a new level, allowing himself to touch the edges of rock. Shutdown from performing at SXSW, Gilifillian is one of the artists we are spotlighting that would have performed in the 2020 event, were it not canceled. Based in Nashville, TN, Gilifillian grew up in Philadelphia, surrounded by a smorgasbord of music: soul, rock, r&b, hip-hop, blues, and everything in between. It is these often diverse musical elements that season his soul music, bringing a sense of community, of all-inclusiveness, to each of his songs. 

Here on Unchained, from his debut long-player, Black Hole Rainbow (January 2020), Gilifillian takes a day in the life of his brother, Ryan, who at the age of 17 was in a horrible car accident that left him disabled from the waist down. Rather than focus on the disability, Gilifillian revels in the triumphs of his brother’s life, not contained in his body, but unchained and free. It is not only a beautiful sentiment, it makes for an absolutely spot-on song. All of the previously mentioned styles of music feature in this rich musical blend. 

You can find more information on Devon Gilifillian by heading up to his website. There’s a great bio up there, plus a store link, where you can pick up Gilifillian’s debut long-player in a variety of formats. All of the social links are there as well. 

Check out this amazing artist now and support him by picking up his music!