Nelson Roberts Gospel Singer from Winston Salem, NC

Nelson Roberts is about to release his debut album, much to the excitement of his already sizeable army of fans. With the album expected to be a success and recognition imminent, the exciting, sound that he has made his own is certain to gain interest from around the world. The development of his distinctive style is the result of a lifetime of musical influence. Growing up in a talented musical f...amily meant that Nelson was always surrounded by different forms of music. His mother is a part-time soloist & lead singer with a gospel group, and his parents exposed him to a wealth of music as a child, all of which influenced his development. His first foray into learning an instrument himself came when he started to play the drums in church at just 6 years old. Later he began to sing, which he continued with for eleven years before finally picking up a keyboard at the age of 17, a decision which he never looked back from. Nelson's musical journey did not begin in Winston Salem NC, however. Born in Shelby NC, it was here that he developed his musical tastes and interests, and it wasn't long after picking up a keyboard that he was experimenting with the contemporary gospel sounds of Detroit as well as the traditional & contemporary- traditional sounds of North Carolina and Mississippi i.e. The Winans, Commissioned, Thomas Whitfield, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, The Clark sisters, The Williams brothers, The Jackson Southernaires followed by the Gospel workshop era of the late 80's& 90's, all of which have had a profound influence on the direction his musical journey has taken. After realizing that making music was his main goal, he began to showcase his talent in various venues across the Carolinas, playing at numerous churches and making sure that his music and ministry were being heard by as many people as possible. He was quickly noted for the distinctive style that he brought to the contemporary & traditional church scene, and his popularity began to grow. As his confidence grew and his style developed, he soon saw a loyal following begin to grow and he became a popular local hit in the Cleveland county music scene. His talent with a variety of musical styles only added to his appeal, and his unique inspirational sound with a twist started to find an appreciative audience. But although his ministry was continuing to grow in Cleveland County and surrounding areas, it was not here that he was destined to become an artist. Instead, Nelson had developed an affinity with Winston Salem having travelled there frequently, and after marrying a beautiful Winston Salem native, he moved there in 1999 and never managed to leave. Here his musical ambitions continued to grow, aided by the sounds of professional musicians that he found all around him. Although contemporary-traditional Gospel music is where Nelson's roots lie, and there was plenty on offer in Winston Salem, that is not to say that he finds himself restricted by this genre. In fact his influences are vast, which his up incoming CD demonstrates, providing literally a room full of musical influences from everywhere. He is keen to point out that everything he listens to directs his musical development in some way. However, he would certainly include Stevie Wonder, Donnie Hathaway, EWF, Luther Vandross, George Duke and the Neo Soul genres amongst his biggest influences. Finally, after honing his unique sound over recent years, he is now preparing to release his debut album, 'Lifestyle of Worship', which underlies the changes that Nelson has gone through over the years, which has allowed him to develop as a person, and has in turn profoundly aided his musical development. The songs provide a combination of his moving keyboard playing and mellow vocals, with a rhythmic undercurrent that bears testament to his style, and punctuated throughout with elements of soul, neo soul, jazz, pop and R&B.