At Talent Is Timeless, we run Monthly Songwriting Challenges to help keep our members writing, sharing, and connecting. Each month, we spotlight some of the incredible songwriters who placed in these challenges — inviting them to share more about their lives, their creative journeys, and the stories behind their songs. This month, we’re featuring Graham Larkin, a 73-year-old songwriter from Mottram, Tameside. Graham has released music under the banner of From The Annexe, to try to raise funds for a small charity. He is working on some releases in his own name at the moment.

A member since December 2021, Graham is part of a close-knit Talent Is Timeless Song Circle that connects through retreats, WhatsApp, and in-person gatherings. He’s even organised a full-day concert at his local cricket club this November featuring many of the members he’s grown close to.

Graham’s winning song emerged from a deeply personal place. He lives with a condition called Dorsal Root Ganglionopathy — a neurological disorder that interrupts the messages between his brain and legs. “The phrase ‘My legs won’t go where my head says’ came to me as I was working on the fingerpicking riff,” he explains. Conscious not to slip into either parody or self-pity, he worked hard to strike a tone of strength and hope. “I didn’t want it to be a sad song,” he says. “I wanted it to be a song of resilience. Hopefully I have got the right balance.”

Graham’s love of storytelling began in his teens, originally through short fiction — but when he heard the likes of Joni Mitchell, Al Stewart and Paul Simon, something clicked. “I soon realised I could tell stories if I wrote my own songs,” he says. “I’ve never stopped writing since.” Stage fright and a vocal condition called Barrett’s Oesophagus made performing difficult. “I used to burst into fits of coughing — not great on stage,” he admits. Eventually he sought help from a singing teacher, learned new techniques, and pushed through. “I now love performing and can’t get enough of it.”

Joining a band in the 1990s gave him his first real taste of musical collaboration, but it was during the isolation of lockdown that things changed again. After being diagnosed with DRG, Graham joined Talent Is Timeless and found not just inspiration, but community. “Joining Talent Is Timeless became a wonderful boon, meeting, albeit online, all those wonderful members,” he says. And later, meeting them live at The Camden Club during Create and Release 2022 was a high point. “Having the opportunity to record one of my songs at Abbey Rd the afternoon of The Camden Club gig. That day will take some beating.”

Since joining, Graham has written more songs in the past four years than he did in the previous decade. “I never imagined I could write to order, and so quickly — sometimes in under an hour.” That creative momentum led him to release an EP, a full album, and several singles. He recalls a moment that sums up what it all means to him: “The greatest compliment I can have is being told by a fellow songwriter that they wish they had written one of my songs. It’s happened twice recently and I am so blown away by it.”

His advice to other songwriters over 50? “Never give up. If you have given up, start again. Even if you want to keep your songs to yourself, the act of pouring out your feelings into a song can be truly cathartic.” Graham’s journey is a testament to persistence, adaptation, and the quiet power of finding your voice — no matter when, or how, it returns.

You can listen to Graham’s winning song here: https://www.talentistimeless.com/july-25-parts-of-the-body-new/?contest=video-detail&video_id=66514

And connect with Graham on Talent Is Timeless here: https://www.talentistimeless.com/members/graham//contests-videos/

https://fromtheannexe.com