Today we’d like to introduce you to Nathan Griner.
Hi Nathan, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My Name is Nathan Griner and I currently live in Hastings, MN with my wife, Sasha, and four kids, Penny, Ophelia, Lennon, and Eamon. Music has always been my passion. I started writing songs as soon as I started learning how to play the guitar at the age of nine. By the year 2000 (my Junior year of HS), I started performing out at local coffee shops with my friend Greg Sylvester (keys).
Greg and I cut our first album sometime in 2001 going under the band name “Brick” (our first album name was “Broken Window). After graduating high school in 2002 I went on to explore guitar performance at MusicTech College (later to be called McNally Smith College of Music, and is now no more) for two years.
Now I am playing at mainly breweries as a one man show. I have a suitcase under my right foot, a cymbal under my left, blues harmonica around my neck and sing and play guitar. A huge part of my show is my suitcase, which was my Grandpa’s old suitcase that I acquired after his death. I don’t think there was anything special about this suitcase except that it was in his basement and filled with a lot of music. I play several songs from the suitcase at my shows, as well as share the story of my Grandpa.
Family is a huge part of my shows. I love sharing little stories of my kids as well as tie in some of their favorite songs that I have re-worked.
I consider myself more as an artist rather than a musician. There are plenty of talented people out there who, I would say, are way more musical than myself. But I have the passion and the want to keep pushing myself forward. As well as the need to keep sharing my passion for music through my songs and stories.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I remember 1998 going on a bike ride with my girlfriend at the time. I decided to show off a little and deviate from the bike path we were going down and ran into a tree stump that was overgrown with weeds. I flew off my bike and landed on my wrist and the impact broke my elbow.
I wasn’t able to play guitar, trombone, or piano, or do a lot of my homework… I had regular guitar lessons that I had at the time that I could not give up or I’d lose my lesson slot. So I brought a harmonica that my Great Grandma gave me back when I was in Kindergarten to my lesson knowing that my teacher knew how to play a little. We spent the next few weeks listening to Blues Traveler and started copying some of his harmonica licks.
After I was out of my cast I had weeks and weeks of regaining the muscles so I could strum my guitar again, and in the process taught myself how to play harmonica and guitar at the same time.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
For a day job, I drive a garbage truck. I have been doing this for the last 10 years, so I can support my family. But my passion has always been my music and songwriting. On top of having a full-time job, as well as performing most every weekend, I have four kids between the ages of 9 and 2.
Nathan Griner’s Live At The Aster with Cello And Keys will be released on October 13, 2023
My new album “This Road” is now out, and soon to be on Vinyl.
“This Road” released May 26, 2023
Banjo And The Bear “Self-Titled” 2015
Nathan Griner “Another Day Gone” 2012
Nathan Griner “Where Are You” 2005
Brick “Broken Window” 2001
What would you say has been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Throughout the past years, I have learned that if what I do does not feed my family, or my soul, or starts feeling like too much of a burden it is time to move in a different direction and figure out the next path to walk down.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.NathanGriner.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imn8ers/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grinermusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nathangriner6363
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/nathanjgriner
- Other: https://imn8ers.bandcamp.com/merch
