Simon Nelson has been a professional guitarist for nearly 30 years and, in fact, likes to boast that he has never had a “proper job”. Simon has lived and toured all over the world spending time in the USA, Australia, Europe and Bermuda.
Initially self taught, he later felt he ought to “know” something about music, and took a Bachelor of Music degree at Goldsmiths College, a Master of Arts at City University and a Ph. D in Ethnomusicology at City University.
As a session musician Simon has recorded for the ABC in Australia, and the BBC in the UK. He has recently played Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Belfast and Newcastle Arenas the Albert Hall and the O2 Arena. Simon has played guitar with Joss Stone, Ms. Dynamite, Heather Small, Alexandra Burke, Beverley Knight, Paul Jones (Manfred Mann), Candi Staton, Mavis Staples, Jocelyn Brown and Helen Shapiro.
Simon plays original music with his co-writer / brother Steve Nelson www.nelsonbrothers.co.uk. The two brothers are also currently playing in a band called Sadie and the Hotheads with Oscar and Emmy nominated actress (Ordinary People, Once Upon a Time in America, Downton Abbey) Elizabeth McGovern.
THE NELSON BROTHERS debut album, 'Hometown' (Round Tower Music), was released in 1993, re-mastered and re-released in 2007 and they have a song, 'Stranger To My Heart' featured in a British thriller, 'The Innocent Sleep'. The follow up album, ‘Places in the Heart’, was released in 2010. www.nelsonbrothers.co.uk. The third album is Sacred River (2016). The fourth album is Migrant Tales (2018).
“It must be difficult for Simon thinking ‘oh, Eric Clapton did that on the album’, but I think a notable success, don’t you?” Dave Freeman - live session on Jazz FM
“Simon’s terrific... he really is.” Paul Jones.
“Simon is a great guitarist” – Mike Peters – The Alarm, Big Country
In 2017 I traded a guitar solo on the track Me, Myself and I with Duke Robillard on his album Duke and his Girlfriends. Duke wrote, “Thank you Simon. Our trading on that tune is one of my favorite parts of the whole thing. It's an incredible project and I'm really lucky and thankful for all the great vocalist and musicians who are on it!” Duke Robillard.
“No one comes close to Simon on lead guitar” Elizabeth McGovern.