Erik Brandt's Bio:
"If superlatives come strong enough to do master singer-songsmith Erik Brandt justice, they escape this reviewer. Long-time head honcho of storied veterans the Urban Hillbilly Quartet, Brandt pulls off a true tour de force with ingenious, eclectic originality, some of strongest songwriting you’re likely to ever come across. ...Bottom line, the man is a musician’s musician." - Tcdailyplanet.net. Dwight Hobbes
Erik Brandt has been the ringleader of the award-winning eclectic Twin Cities-based Urban Hillbilly Quartet since 1995. By night, he plays music. By day, he teaches high school English in St. Paul, MN. He’s played in venues all over the USA, Canada, Australia, and on various street corners throughout Europe. He’s also taught Shakespeare, grammar, haikus and standardized test prep.
On stage, Erik performs mainly original material drawn from the Americana vein. Most of his original tunes can be found on the nine albums he’s recorded with the UHQ and his four solo albums, including his latest, Folksinger. When choosing covers, he pulls liberally from the catalogs of Bob Dylan, The Flatlanders, Johnny Cash, and other Americana heroes. As a multi-instrumentalist, Erik switches between acoustic guitar, piano and accordion during performances.
His music has been influenced by and compared to: Americana powerhouses The Jayhawks, Gillian Welch, and Uncle Tupelo; Georgia’s Vigilantes of Love; Britain’s The Waterboys; Australia’s Paul Kelly; Canada’s Bruce Cockburn; and folk/jazz pioneers David Grisman, Paris Combo and Tin Hat Trio.
He’s the DJ and host of “Good Acoustics” on 88.5 KBEM-FM and also accordionist for the Roe Family Singers and Mega Yacht Jazz Combo.
Though Erik mostly performs solo, he is often joined by guests from UHQ and other bands on stage. The combination of his different instruments, songwriting talent and musical guests makes his live performances dynamic and unique.
RECORDINGS
1997: Living in The City (Fundamental/Hymn 13)
1998: St. Paul Town (Fundamental/Hymn 16)
1999: Beautiful Lazy (Fundamental/Hymn 19/TrueTunes Records)
2000: Lanky But Macho (Independent)
2001: Hot and Now (Bert Records)
2002: (Erik Brandt & UHQ) Amelia’s Boot (Fundamental 1 A.D.)
2003: The A-List (Fundamental 2 A.D.)
2006: Green Eyed Alone (Mercy Recordings)
2008: Bring in the Sails (Mercy Recordings)
2009: Sometimes (Mercy Recordings)
2012: The Long Winter (House of Mercy Recordings)
2019: South of Dark (House of Mercy Recordings)
2026: Folksinger (UHQ2025)
