SINGER-SONGWRITER KEEPS MUSICAL TRADITION ALIVE Fans of song-writing greats — like the Lennon-McCartney duo and Bob Dylan — have likely been a bit dismayed in recent years. Many a pop star of the “auto-tune” era often employ a team of writers just to nail down one song. But in Brunswick at least the spirit of the singer-songwriter is still alive. Case in point — Nick Bryant. Bryant, a Dunwoody native, has spent most of his life writing songs and accompanying melodies. Growing up in a musical family, he was inspired by giants of the classic rock era. And over time, his passion and his talent continued to blossom. “My dad’s side of the family is very musical. My dad plays the drums and my uncle had a recording studio in his house and I would record some songs there. I think my first one was a rap song when I was 10,” he said. “And then my uncle played a Black Sabbath song and I thought ‘I have to learn how to play the guitar.’” His uncle helped him learn and the rest, as they say, is history. Fueled by timeless tunes of Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and The Beatles, he continued to hone his craft, playing in a number of bands during high school. His writing also continued to develop. “There was a period where I just couldn’t wait to come home so I could write. I made a little mini studio in my house and I would record a song or two a day,” he said. “I also spent a lot of time writing, a lot of it was stream of consciousness and completely random, but I could pick out a phrase or two.” It was around that time he started seriously considering making music a career. Of course, he also wanted an education to help ensure that the path was as smooth as possible. He decided to move to the Golden Isles in 2010 to attend the College of Coastal Georgia. He graduated in 2014 with a bachelor of business administration. Ever since, Bryant has devoted himself entirely to music — both performing locally and recording. “I play all over —I figured out a way to make a career as a musician so I quit my job ... I was offered a managerial position after I graduated.” He’s also been cranking out albums and uploading songs to his website www.nickbryantmusic.net via various social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. His first full-length LP — the Nick Bryant LP — was recently released on Amazon.com and iTunes. “I was using a studio in Jacksonville and it was a little out of my price range to stay for a long time so I would just record two (songs) a day,” he said. Over a year, he racked up enough songs to fill out the entire record. And each song on the track has a different flavor. The 13-track album offers his original lyrics and music but the influences behind them are evident. “My producer always tries to get me to think of three or four artists as influences. Artists always steal from one another,” he said with a laugh. Listeners can hear songs reminiscent of bands like Mumford and Sons, Lumineers and Sublime. Vibes akin to solo acts Jack Johnson and John Mayer can also be felt. Of course, Bryant adds his own unique brand to the mix. In addition to the Nick Bryant LP, he is releasing several songs for free on his website and social media early this summer. “I wanted to do something to give back to the people who have supported me. It’s four tracks called ‘Through the Blue,’” he said. “It’s more stripped down and spontaneous. I just went in and recorded them in two days.” As far as what the future holds, Bryant is committed to making his career as a music man fly. And he means that quite literally.“The goal is to tour, hopefully abroad. That’s the plan,” he said. -Lindsey Adkinson, The Brunswick News