Nick Swatson

Nick Swatson is a singer/songwriter born, raised, and currently residing in Knoxville, Tennessee. His diverse collection of original songs ranges from delicate acoustic fingerstyle arrangements with soft vocals and subtle harmonies to energetic rock anthems with choirs of layered vocals, simple but catchy lead guitar riffs, and screaming guitar solos. After experimenting with more complex, rock influenced arrangements in his debut album, "What If?," he has settled into a simpler folky niche with his latest releases.

Nick began teaching himself the acoustic guitar at age 21 in 2018 after becoming drawn to the songwriting and guitar playing of modern solo artists such as Ed Sheeran, Hozier, James Bay, and Shawn Mendes. After about one year of learning the ins and outs of the acoustic, he was entranced by the electric riffs and solos of modern rock players like John Mayer and Gary Clark, Jr. and dove deeper into the artists who inspired them. This led to a newfound passion for some of the classic rock legends spanning multiple decades, from The Beatles and Creedence Clearwater Revival of the 60s, to the Eagles, Allman Brothers, and Fleetwood Mac of the 70s, to Stevie Ray Vaughan and Guns N' Roses of the 80s. Nick maintained his love of the stripped back, acoustic tracks of softer bands and artists, but strove to wield an electric guitar like the rock heroes of past and present. All of these influences can be heard in the mixture of tunes he has written and released so far in his young career.

During the process of studying the complexities of both the acoustic and electric guitar, Nick began recording covers of songs he learned and uploaded them to YouTube. He used this channel as a way of tracking his guitar and vocal progress and has left every video he's made up online to display that progress over the last six years. In this time, he also began writing his own songs, initially putting very simple melodies to the most basic guitar chords and strumming patterns. His writing evolved over time as his life experiences grew and his knowledge and feel for music expanded. Nick used his songwriting as an outlet to express himself emotionally.

Nick debuted his original music with a four-track EP entitled "Songs I Wrote About You" in January 2022. He was forced to record most of the EP in the backseat of his car due to his roommates' unconventional sleeping patterns. After generating a bit of a local buzz from this project among mostly friends and acquaintances, Nick began working on writing and recording songs for his debut album, "What If?," which released in 2022. After nearly a year long break from releasing original work, he returned in September of 2023 with the single "SOS." This simple acoustic track with a bouncy banjo set the stage for the staggered run of lively singles in the two years since.

At the end of 2024, Nick began working with vocal coach Robyn Long-McCammon at the Rock & Metal Academy (RMA) in Maryville, TN. While providing technical instruction to assist with Nick's vocal development, RMA also hosted public showcases to offer Nick and other students the chance to perform on stage in front of live audiences. His set at his first show with RMA in May 2025 attracted the attention of some established local songwriters, which has opened the door to further live performance opportunities.

Nick remains most active on YouTube and continues to upload original content as well as cover songs to that channel. To explore his video content catalog and witness his improvements made from virtually Day One yourself, click the button below!