The Famous Faces of Clan Graham

Clan Graham are one of Scotland’s most prestigious families, so unsurprisingly, they have many extremely talented members. Come along with us to meet just a few of these fascinating and inspirational characters, and hopefully feel inspired by their great achievements! 

The Grahams have been making a name for themselves for a long time. In the 17th century, one particularly famous name was James Graham, the 5th Earl and 1st Marquess of Montrose, a prominent nobleman and renowned military talent. 

Born in 1612, Montrose spent much of his childhood in Glasgow, where he was educated by the scholar, William Forrett. He went on to complete his academic schooling at the University of St Andrews, where he studied at Saint Salvator’s College. 

His real legacy began, however, once he had finished his education and started his political career, which was shaped by the extremely turbulent contemporary social climate. 

In 1637, Montrose signed a covenant promising to defend Scotland’s Presbyterian religion against Charles I’s attempts to impose Anglican religion on the country. However, he couldn’t supress his Royalist beliefs for long, and soon became a staunch supporter of the king. 

James Graham Portrait by Anthony van Dyck

In 1644, Charles appointed him as lieutenant general in Scotland, making him responsible for leading the fight against Covenanter uprisings. He quickly raised an army of fierce Highlanders and went on to achieve a number of stunning victories, using his tactical brilliance to win several major battles in Tibbermore, Aberdeen, Inverlochy, Auldearn, Alford, and Kilsyth. As a result, the king then made him Lieutenant Governor and Captain General of Scotland. 

However, his fortunes shifted after Charles was defeated in England, and the Royalist cause collapsed. He was forced to flee to Europe but returned to Scotland in 1650 with around 1200 men. He made several attempts to rally support for his cause but was ultimately captured and convicted of treason.

He was hanged in Edinburgh marketplace, and his grand reputation was temporarily dashed. 

Following his death, however, his legacy was slowly restored after the monarchy was strengthened by Charles II. His lands and titles were returned to his heirs, and he became admired as an iconic symbol of Royalist resistance. Today, he is remembered as one of Scotland’s greatest military leaders of all time and he continues to be a popular subject of keen historic debates among scholars and readers alike. 

Our next famous face for today is the star of a beloved sitcom. 

Lauren Graham was born on the 16th of March 1967, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Her parents worked for the military, so she spent much of her early childhood travelling, before eventually settling in Washington D.C. 

Arts and culture were a big part of her life from an early age, and she chose to attend Barnard College to study a degree in English Literature. She then went on to gain a Master of Fine Art in Acting Performance from the Southern Methodist University in Dallas. 

After finishing her education, Graham moved to New York City seeking success in show business. Initially she got by working as a waitress and a tutor, while also occasionally appearing as ‘Striker,’ the dog mascot of the FIFA World Cup! 

Lauren Graham

In 1995, she relocated to Hollywood, where she gained roles in various commercials, before becoming a regular guest star of several NBC shows between 1996 and 1997. 

Her real breakthrough came in 2000 when she was cast as Lorelai Gilmore in the hit sitcom, Gilmore Girls. The show quickly became a cult classic, and Graham became a household name. Gilmore Girls ran for 7 seasons and was brought back for a reprise in 2017 with the revival, ‘Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.’ 

This wasn’t Graham’s only success, though. She also starred as Sarah Braverman, a single mother navigating family life, in the drama Parenthood which aired from 2010 to 2015. She received widespread praise for her nuanced and sensitive performance in the show. She has also appeared in films such as ‘Bad Santa’ in 2003 and ‘Because I Said So’ in 2007. 

That’s all very impressive, but her talents are not limited to acting! In 2008, she released her debut novel, ‘Someday, Someday, Maybe,’ a semi-autobiographical story about an aspiring actress in New York City. Then, in 2016, she released ‘Talking to Myself,’ a collection of personal essays. Both books received positive reviews and were commended for their humour and heart. 

To this day, Graham is a beloved figure in popular culture, and she continues to bring joy to countless people with her work. 

Our final famous face has had a big impact in the music world. Larry Graham Jr was born on the 14th of August 1946 in Texas to musician parents. He clearly inherited their skills, as he went on to have an extraordinary musical career. 

Graham played bass in the band Sly and the Family Stone from 1967 to 1972. The band broke both musical and societal boundaries, as they were the first major American group to have a mixed race and mixed gender line-up. They enjoyed a number of popular hits and released several critically acclaimed albums, including ‘Stand,’ released in 1969. 

Larry Graham Jr by blu-news.org

However, years of tension and disagreements between Graham and the frontman, Sly Stone, caused Larry to leave the band in 1972. All the same, his contributions continued to be remembered, and he was inducted into the Rock ad Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Sly and the Family Stone in 1993. 

After leaving the group, Graham decided to make his own way, forming a band called Graham Central Station, who also experienced success with several popular singles. The 1980s and 90s were a period of great creative activity for Graham, and he collaborated with a number of iconic musicians, including Bette Davis and Prince!

Perhaps his most famous legacy, however, was the invention of the slapping technique on the electric bass, what he referred to as ‘thumpin’ and pluckin’.’ This style helps to provide percussive and rhythmic elements to a bass line and has become a key feature of modern funk. Countless artists have credited Graham with inspiring their use of this playing technique, including Bootsy Collins, Les Claypool, Louis Johnson, Mark King, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Stanley Clarke.  

We have found it inspirational to see the great impact that the Grahams have had over such wide segments of society! Whether you are most intrigued by their military, acting, or musical achievements, we hope you feel as impressed as we do. 

Is there anyone else you think we should have mentioned? If so, please get in touch, and in the meantime, head over to our Clan Graham page to learn more about this talented family. 

Image Sources:

James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose portrait in Public Domain

Lauren Graham by SAMHSA in Public Domain

Larry Graham by blu-news.org - Larry Graham, CC BY-SA 2.0