Biography

Barbara Nelson plays guitar and sings western music in all its forms: traditional, blues, folk, old standards, and swing. She grew up loving the cowboy movies and songs of Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. She got her first horse while in the 4th grade and has had horses ever since.

Barbara was recently awarded the Will Rogers award by the Academy of Wesstern Artists, (AWA) in a ceremony in Ft. Worth, Texas, as the female western singer of the year. She has been nominated 2 times by the WMA for cd of the year, and her previous album “Crazy Western Swing” was in the top 10 albums in he “Western Way” magazine.

She has performed, as a solo, in many different places: Elko at the “National Cowboy Poetry Gathering”, Ellensburg “Spirit of the West”, Albuquerque at the Western Music Association, (WMA) showcase, Pendleton at the Arts Center and Cattle Baron’s weekend and other places. Recently she opened the awards ceremonies for the AWA in Dallas, Texas.

Revues have been from Rick Huff, WMA music critic, who wrote that the “principle feature of Nelson’s releases is her rich, big band style of singing. Corinne J. Brown writes in Roundup Magazine that “western music comes alive with her rich, sultry, smooth, sophisticated voice”. Connie writes “she is the real deal, a musical treasure.

Barbara and her husband Nels live on a ranch near Pendleton, Oregon where they have raised kids, cattle, sheep, wheat, and horses.

Barbara loves to sing and play guitar and it shows in her performances. “Bring it on Down” a new cd has been released and is the seventh cd to be available.