Biography

Though he’s released plenty of solo recordings over the years, western North Carolina singer/songwriter/instrumentalist Darren Nicholson is taking a big new step with his first releases after concluding a 15-year tenure as a founding member of award-winning bluegrass quintet, Balsam Range. A GRAMMY®-nominee and recipient of multiple International Bluegrass Music Association Awards, Darren has appeared countless times on WSM's Grand Ole Opry, at the Ryman Auditorium, CMT, GAC, and many of the world's most famous venues and networks. Since the beginning of the year, the singer, songwriter and mandolinist has revved up his solo career with a crowded personal appearance calendar, 3 singles that triangulate the corners of the bluegrass songbook — a chart-topping murder ballad, a spirited gospel number and a gripping instrumental, all self-penned — and now, the announcement of a new collection, Wanderer, that puts an exclamation point on his musical declaration of independence.
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Mountain Home Music Company recording artist Darren Nicholson is on a roll. Since his departure late last year from Balsam Range, the award-winning quintet he helped to found some 15 years ago, the singer, songwriter and mandolinist has revved up his solo career with a crowded personal appearance calendar, 3 singles that triangulate the corners of the bluegrass songbook — a chart-topping murder ballad, a spirited gospel number and a gripping instrumental, all self-penned — and now, the announcement of a new collection, Wanderer, that puts an exclamation point on his musical declaration of independence.

“I have been asked about this being my first release post-Balsam Range,” Nicholson notes, “and if there any overarching themes. The answer is simply that it has no bearing on the way I approach music. I want top quality, period. Every recording, I try to pick a variety of the best material, musicians and singers to fit the direction of the album.”

“As with [2021’s] Man on a Mission,” he continues, “I wanted musicians who pushed me to new places — ultimately taking my original songs and giving them a new flavor. I got youthful, progressive, creative minds involved and it brings out the best in me. I think Wanderer is unique and original from top to bottom; it’s even vastly different from my previous works. I am so proud of that.”

Indeed, the selection of musicians who appear on Wanderer is powerful evidence of Nicholson’s thoughtfulness: longtime friend and colleague Colby Laney (guitar) and fellow western North Carolinian Zachary Smith (Town Mountain) constitute a powerful rhythm section, while banjoist Wes Corbett (Sam Bush Band) and musically omnivorous fiddler Billy Contreras add more wide-ranging tones, textures and explorations that nevertheless fit seamlessly into Nicholson’s distinctive approach to bluegrass. In the same vein, the all-original song list feels firmly grounded in tradition, yet never sounds rule-bound or formulaic. And though most of the album’s songs were written with frequent collaborator Charles Humphrey III (Songs From The Road Band), Nicholson reached out in new directions to partner with writers like bluegrass favorite Mark “Brink” Brinkman and Eric Gibson of the Americana-leaning Gibson Brothers.

The result is a collection that at once confirms Nicholson’s mastery of bluegrass’s most powerful musical currents and his burgeoning interest in moving beyond the mainstream. Whether it’s the rhythmically sophisticated meditation on liquor and love of “A Lot of Truth In An Empty Bottle,” the easy vibe of “Talkin’ To The Moon”’s extended exploration of its titular image or the good-natured story of a farm boy testing the limits of his energy in “Second Wind,” Wanderer serves as an impressive token of Darren Nicholson’s determination to forge his own musical path — and as just plain good listening, too.

“Wanderer has been an absolute joy from beginning to end,” he concludes. “Writing and crafting all original music has become such a passion for me, and to see these songs turn out like this feels really good. The common thread is that they’re all songs about life: happiness, hardships, love and hope. They are all about me or things I can closely relate to. The only thing I’m qualified to write about is myself. I think being genuine, even if it’s not always pretty, can carry you a long way in life. I just want to keep growing with every recording and working to become a better version of myself.”

About Darren Nicholson
Darren Nicholson is a bluegrass and Americana musician based in Haywood County in the mountains of western North Carolina. A GRAMMY®-nominee and recipient of multiple International Bluegrass Music Association Awards, Darren has appeared countless times on WSM's Grand Ole Opry, at the Ryman Auditorium, CMT, GAC, and many of the world's most famous venues and networks. Darren is also renowned as a solo artist, session musician, and songwriter. After concluding a 15-year tenure as a founding member of award-winning bluegrass quintet, Balsam Range, Darren is taking the next step forward and releasing music of his own.