Nathan Frazer

I grew up on a farm a mile south of a little town called Bruno MN, and music has always been a big part of my life. I have been playing since the early 90’s. First in a metal band, then in a grunge band. My muse and eclectic inclination took me into folk and country music, but I listen to and appreciate all types of music.  

I was a member of the Kettle River Trio, a folk outfit in the early aughts that played regularly in Duluth and East Central Minnesota. The Trio specialized in unrehearsed inebriated explorations of traditional folk songs, as well as some originals. We had the pleasure of opening and sharing the stage with Charlie Parr, Colleen Myhre, and other great artists in the Duluth scene, as well as playing at many special events, parties and festivals. 

I settled in Sandstone MN and took a weekly residency at the famed Gaslight Bar for many years where I honed my skill at “playing to a room not over it.” In 2008 I joined a country band, Freight Twang, and rode the pony through several incarnation until its eventual demise. Later me and Marty Thomas formed a duo.

While continuing playing solo and along with other musicians like Boss Mama, Thomas, Howie Wilkes, and The Holy Hootenaners, I started to form my own identity as a singer songwriter.  

I recorded various DIY albums and went into the studio in 2016 releasing Songs From Gunn Town in 2017, with an all star band including Marty Thomas (Stony River/Freight Twang), Jay Best (The KanDells), Howie Wilkes (Dogs Playing Cards, MilkBone), and Bill Taylor (The Blue Healers). Gunn Town received its share of local airplay on KUMD, and KBEK, and was featured on the podcast “Fly Over Radio.”

In 2017 I attended Camp Copperhead, a songwriting camp hosted by Steve Earle and made many lasting connections with the other artists there. 

Somewhere along the way I started playing guitar and leading worship once or twice a month in a small ELCA parish in Sandstone/Dell Grove Township. This has challenged me to learn more music theory, lead an ensemble,  and how to sight read music a little. It has also provided me more depth into songcraft from a gospel tradition. Like Bob Dylan said “My songs are either based on old Protestant hymns or songs or Carter Family songs, or variations of the blues form."

In 2019 I teamed up with Bluegrass & String Band bass player NeF.U. and the partnership and collaboration resulted in the "Living Underground" Album  recorded with Rich Mattson at Sparta Sound. Living Underground (2022) was a MN-Spin Selected record in 2023. 

In 2024 along with several alumni from Steve Earle's Camp Copperhead we recorded an album in Muscle Shoals Alabama. "The Copperhead 6 Project" will be released in December of 2024!