Brian G. Nelson

Singer Songwriter, Multi-Instrumentalist

Original Americana, Folk, Blues,
Rock, and a hint of Country

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About Brian G. Nelson

Brian has always loved music. He sang in elementary school, played trumpet in middle school, and started playing guitar and bass in high school. He wrote poetry and short stories as a child, and started occasionally writing songs not long after picking up the guitar. In more recent years, he’s picked up ukulele, piano, banjo, and guitalele, some better than others. He’s also teaching himself guitar repair.

Brian was in the Army from 2001-2005, deploying to Iraq twice, taking his guitar along both times. After the Army, he used his GI Bill to get a BA in Economics and the Comparative History of Ideas, with a minor in Philosophy. For several years, Brian wanted to be a non-fiction writer, and studied writing, which he believes also improved his songwriting. In 2016, he was diagnosed with stage iv diffuse large b-cell lymphoma, and underwent successful chemotherapy.

In 2023, Brian decided to make a serious effort at becoming a songwriter, setting a goal to write 100 songs that year. After reaching that goal, he did it again in 2024, and aims to do it in 2025 as well. In 2024, Brian also decided to give performing a shot, after not playing or singing in front of more than a couple people since middle school. On his 43rd birthday, Brian went to his first open mic in a neighboring town, and fell in love with performing. Past crippling fears of speaking and performing in public were nowhere to be found.

Brian has been an avid trail and mountain runner since a couple years after leaving the Army, even though he hated running in the Army. He also loves wandering in the woods and mountains around his home in Gold Bar, Washington, foraging for plants and mushrooms, gardening, and often listens to audiobooks while doing those things. Brian is part of a local trails and conservation nonprofit and regularly volunteers to maintain trails, pick up litter, and remove invasive plants. Brian also runs a community songwriting group for songwriters to share their songs, get and give feedback, and network.

Brian writes songs about his experiences in nature, including wildlife encounters, life, love, heartache, and stories that seemingly come from somewhere else. His musical interests are broad, ranging from grunge, to hiphop, outlaw and alt country, Americana, folk, early blues, neo-soul, industrial, shoe gaze, punk of various flavors, and more. Brian’s all-time top 5 favorite songs are 5) Foo Fighters – My Hero, 4) Björk – Bachelorette, 3)Jeff Buckley & Elizabeth Fraser – All Flowers in Time Bend Towards the Sun, 2) Mazzy Star – Fade Into You, 1) Sonic Youth – Diamond Sea.

For booking, songwriting, or other inquiries, you can contact Brian through any of his social media accounts or email linked at the top and bottom of this page.

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