Biography: Eric Carlson

[Eric Carlson]

Eric Carlson is a Teacher, Singer/Songwriter and Artist out of Saint Paul, MN. Eric grew up with various kinds folk artists such as Stan Rogers, Greg Brown, Valdy, Peter Ostrushko and Joni Mitchell that his parents played around the house often. When he was 10 years old his parents encouraged him to join choir and take piano lessons, which he did not want to do. So his parents decided to make him to join these subjects, which he is very grateful for to this day. At age 15 he was singing and dancing in the show choir and was performing in a select Madrigal group year-round. Singing proved to be a good fit for the young teenager, but dancing not so much. It was in these groups he met Brian Miller, who was also 15 and playing in various rock and roll bands at the time.

Brian became fascinated with the Irish and Celtic music that was being performed there and set out to put together a small band of musicians in the Irish tradition. He suggested to Eric that he purchase a bodhran which a man by the name of Pat Ryan, a drummer of a local irish group called "Faire Wind" had for sale. He also asked Karl Espe, a friend and very talented fiddle player to join. Soon the three were playing jigs and reels outside of the local playhouse before play performances as the irish trio, "The Gaels". The Gaels have gone on to play all over the Midwest and down to Colorado, a ten-year venture that has seen the production of many original compositions and three popular albums.

Eric continued to pursue his own music with weekly solo performances at the Northern Inn in Bemidji every Wednesday night while he was going through college. The weekly gig helped him financially and he decided to save his money to do a trip around New Zealand. He played enough gigs in New Zealand to pay the rent for his small apartment in Havelock North. When he returned he put together a small demo of original music landing him some gigs in the Twin Cities area where he now lives and perfroms.

"My music comes from a very personal place, often dealing with the relationships and people who have had profound affect on me in my life. The natural beauty I grew up in often surfaces in my songs. I feel a similar reverence for the stillness of the woods as for the ebb and flow of the musical experience."

Edited June 12, 2007 by Eric Carlson

[Evan Burton]

Welcome Eric!