Summer Shakedown

As a singer/songwriter, band leader and indie record label owner, Nathan McEuen maintains a busy schedule.   At a young age, Nathan began acting as a roadie/assistant tour manager for his father John McEuen of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, selling CDs, and sometimes even singing back-up vocals and playing rhythm guitar.  But for Nathan, who was always a little timid about following his father into the music business, getting started on his own path was probably a good thing. “I did it quietly, in the background,” he said of his development as a musician. “For the longest time, I felt insecure expressing that I wanted to play. I had a lot to look up to, a lot to be compared to. It took me a long time to be comfortable saying, Yeah, this is what I want to do.”

With instruments readily at hand in the household — first in Salt Lake City, then in Evergreen, Colo. — it was inevitable that he would have some contact, and at 5, McEuen started messing around on the piano. At 8 he wrote his first song. But he didn't pick up the guitar till he was 13, and he says, jokingly, that he learned a chord a year for the next few years. But at 16, he hit the accelerator, and signed up for every music class and club he could, from a cappella choir to jazz band, pit orchestra to percussion ensemble, and in addition to school bands, Nathan started his first official band "Lint."

When he moved to California in 2003, McEuen began developing a community of musicians to work with for his first solo Album, including his brother Jonathan, Mario Calire (Ozomatli, Wallflowers), Jesse Seibenberg (Supertramp/Kenny Loggins), Randy Tico, Chris Caswell and Crosby Loggins, the son of Kenny, who became a songwriting partner for a couple of the songs. Leading up to the finishing of his first solo album Nathan also gave music lessons and taught band camps for a few years. And in 2005, with enough songs to record, musicians to play on the album and with the financial backing from an investor, he launched his own label, Lint Records (named after his first band 'Lint') and released Grand Design (October 2005) .
To this day Nathan keeps the touring spirit alive, as he is always going on the road for solo performances, The Nathan McEuen Band, and the occasional McEuen Family Shows.

“Live shows are a top priority,” Nathan says, “I like to make it fun and really move people.”  With impressive musical talent, stunning vocals, and a dash of humor, Nathan can wow audience members at every show.  He takes his musical influence from all genres, as is evident in both of his full-length CDs, which have totaled in over 18,000 sold.  Grand Design (Lint Records 2005) has been described as “future retro folk rock” (CDBaby.com).  His sophomore album,Festival (Lint Records, 2007), is a more “progressive mix of Americana, Rock, and Bluegrass” (CDBaby.com). 

Nathan McEuen has been working hard, but with an impressive list of performances to show for it.  Most recently, Nathan performed with Steve Martin (Steve Martin Band), Megan Joy and Michael Sarver on the 8th season finale show of American Idol. He also performed on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno (With Hanna-McEuen), has opened for David Crosby and Gram Nash, Dave Mason, The Grascals, Kenny Loggins, Dwight Yoakam, Chris Hillman, The Avett Bros., and Bob Schneider to name a few.  He also performed with Kevin Nealon, Brett Dennen, Rissi Palmer, Holly Brook and many others.

Come out to hear Nathan as he tours with his new album “Scrapbook Sessions”.  This fantastic yet affordable show will be a great way to ease into the weekend of blues and rock taking place in town park for the Blues and Brews fest.  Come check it out!