Gavin DeGraw, 46, was clearly thrilled by T-Pain's recent live cover of his first smash, which he shared online.
In order to promote his new live CD, On Top of the Covers (Live From the Sun Rose), which was recorded in March at a West Hollywood club, T-Pain, 39, played DeGraw's 2004 double platinum hit "I Don't Want to Be."
"Love it man!" DeGraw wrote via X on December 27, after watching the clip.
Numerous fans chimed in to agree, with one person writing, "This is still the anthem of my life."
Another fan responded, "I love his version!! It's so interesting to hear other artists cover your songs and see how they change it up. Would love to see his entire performance."
Originally released on DeGraw's 2003 debut album, Chariot, was "I Don't Want to Be." In addition, One Tree Hill used it as their theme song from 2003 to 2012.
The song was a nominee for the Top Soundtrack Single of the Year Billboard Music Award. Degraw revealed on The Bobby Bones Show in June 2022 that he first turned down the offer to have his music used in One Tree Hill because he "hated TV and didn't ever watch it."
The song gained even more popularity once he was persuaded to allow it to be used as the theme for the program.
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DeGraw told SocietyofRock.com in 2016 that he composed the song as a message for teenagers, urging them to stay true to who they are and not allow outside influences alter who they are.
He claimed that the current identity issue among young people had a significant influence on the song.
"It's almost like you can go into any town in the country and the kids don't necessarily have an identity of their own; it's like whatever is on television is who they are."
One of the 22 songs on the live version of On Top of the Covers, which was released on Friday, December 22, is T-Pain's cover.
Although the singer is credited with popularizing the usage of Auto-Tune, a vocal enhancement recording technology, he utilized his own singing voice for On Top of the Covers.
He announced the new CD and added, "For all the people who wanted an album of me singing live, this is my holiday gift to you," he said while announcing the new release.
"For the Tiny Desk & Masked Singer fans and everyone in between, you ain't heard nothing yet. Thank you all for supporting me through this wild journey."
"I'm so excited for the world to hear and see this," he added.
"Since it's the gift-giving time of year, I decided to release the full performance. Let's keep the good times rolling into 2024!" Eight tracks made up the studio version of On Top of the Covers that the Grammy winner first released in March.
Along with covers of Luther Vandross' "Never Too Much," Montell Jordan's "This Is How We Do It," and other songs, his live version features the majority of those songs.
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