Photo via Carmen Nickerson - Facebook
Carmen Nickerson
Carmen Nickerson
Carmen Nickerson began her musical journey on a farm in rural Iowa. Her musical journey spans decades, over many albums and recordings, known-Milwaukee bands and her first solo studio album. Nickerson’s wide musical background allows her to showcase impressive musical skill, and her upbringing has cultivated a love for the natural world. Her lyrics and melody are tributes to home, her family, the world around her, and more.
Carmen Nickerson’s next performance is Thursday Night Live, February 8 at Story Hill Firehouse, 407 N. Hawley Road. For more information, and to listen to the album, visit carmennickerson.com.
“I am the youngest of six, four brothers and one sister. We had farms, pigs, sheep, chickens. I loved being able to go off into nature,” says Nickerson. “My family was musical. My grandma taught all of us piano. My dad was in a band, barbershop quartets, and always singing. Once a month his quartet would be at our home. It became a natural thing, just hearing harmonies.”
Although music was common in Nickerson’s household, she was not encouraged to make it her livelihood. “I played clarinet through the band. I went to college for agriculture, because as much as music was a part of the household, it was not a way to make a living. Especially as a performer, my parents didn’t think this was a good lifestyle,” says Nickerson. “I took music classes in college. Classical choral music was a huge thing. I started playing guitar after college. I had these dreams of doing music for a living and had it knocked out of me, but I never gave up.”
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Traveling and Collaborating
Since college, Nickerson has spent much time traveling and collaborating before she discovered her propensity for writing. “I traveled a lot. Spent a year in Scotland. I didn’t want to do regular jobs,” says Nickerson. “I went to Los Angeles, because I thought that’s where the music scene was. I can’t say I liked L.A., but that’s where I started songwriting.”
“And then I came back to Milwaukee. I founded an all-female original rock band. There was a good original rock scene here in the ‘90s. A lot of places that were open to a lot of original music,” says Nickerson. “I was able to transition to making music my main income.”
Nickerson’s first studio album is a tribute to her home. Room To Grow features eight tracks, seven original and one cover. Co-produced by Willy Porter, Wisconsin-based musician and producer, the album digs into themes of life through the eyes of a farm girl. Nickerson’s deep, rich tone carries each story into fruition with connected harmony. The album explores a variety of genres including bluegrass, folk, country, and more.
“This is my first solo studio album. These songs really go together. "Wrecking Ball" is a song that started over 20 years ago. There’s a lot of nostalgia, especially in "Room to Grow." It all came together. This album has a journey of all the different human emotions,” says Nickerson. “The styles are so different, there's country and pop and blues. To make a living at music, I’ve had to be versatile.”
That last song on Nickerson’s album, “Ascension,” talks about her hope for unity, for peace, and for the future. “I would really love for people to be taken along with the emotions that I’m digging into. To take the time to listen and feel the energy,” says Nickerson. “I want people to have their own journeys through the songs. And hopefully, be encouraged, and learn to get along.”
