Written By Ashley Toman for Houston TREND

IMG_8572 copy2Growing up in hospitals for a significant portion of his adolescent years, Nick Greer turned to the one thing that became a coping mechanism in his life and eventually led him to where he is today as the lead man of one of Houston’s most popular musical groups, Nick Greer & The G’s. Greer suffers with severe asthma and after spending much of his childhood in the hospital, he was given a keyboard at the age of ten that would then become a defining moment in his life. “I connected to the piano the very moment I touched the keys,” says Greer.

Greer taught himself how to play piano and write poetry at age 10 and eventually started singing and writing his own lyrics. Nick knew what he was destined to do with the rest of his life from a very young age. Before Nick Greer & the G’s came about, Greer played in another band Bojanga which turned into Mantis and eventually into the 8-piece band that it is today made up by saxophone, violin, percussion, drums, bass, guitar, background vocals and lead vocals and keys by Greer, which forms the group, Nick Greer & The G’s. “Working with Nick Greer and the G’s has been an absolutely amazing experience,” said Brie Boyce, background vocalist for Nick Greer & The G’s. “It is such a cool experience to play with each musician and to be able to connect to each one individually and then all at once. I think that such a connection is so rare, and I am blessed to have this opportunity.”

IMG_8601 copyA typical day in the life of Nick Greer consists of constantly writing lyrics, going to Wire Road Studios, where he recorded his entire album, stating that he ‘studies something new and learns something new every day at the studio. “You have to be kind of crazy to keep pursuing this,” says Greer. “I wake up, I write, I go to the studio, work and hang out. That’s pretty much all I do and that’s where my focus truly is, with my music.”

Greer has really taken Houston by storm this past year, finishing his second album, Heart on Fire produced by James Kelly at Wire Road Studios, was nominated for three Houston Press Music Awards and won “Best Keyboardist.” He has a regular gig every Thursday-Saturday evening at Corkscrew Wine Bar in the Heights (1308 W. 20th St) and a solo gig on Thursdays and Friday-Saturday with The G’s.

 

“Nick is the kind of artist that you truly feel lucky to work with,” says James Kelly, owner and producer at Wire Road Studios.

“It is why I got into the industry in the first place, to work with music that wants to inspire and make a difference.” That is what Nick is doing for Houston, making a difference. A lot of people say that they are all about the music, but Nick survives on it. It’s his heart and soul. He performs so intensely that his hands literally bleed on the piano every show. That kind of passion translates to his latest album, Heart on Fire. It’s Nick being Nick. He’s giving everything he has to show Houston, what’s in it’s own backyard.”

Nick Greer & The G’s are typically categorized as “funk/soul”. Although, Greer states that it is really more so about the experience rather than categorizing them into one specific genre. “We’re a mixture of funk/blues and soul, but at the end of the day, I just want it to be about the experience. I want people to feel the music and the energy of the show. I want people to leave the show thinking, ‘Holy shit! What an incredible show,” says Greer.

Based on how 2014 has treated Greer, one can only expect continuation of success in the hands of Nick Greer & The G’s. Nick Greer & The G’s recent album, Heart on Fire, is now available on iTunes, Bandcamp and Amazon. For more information on Nick Greer & The G’s please visit nickgreermusic.com and follow twitter updates at @WhoIsNickGreer.