Bryan Anderson grew up milking cows and working on the family farm near Vasa. He also grew up playing guitar and singing. On June 10th, he’ll be on stage in Goodhue ahead of Lost Highway, a well-known band from Wanamingo, as they open for headliner, Granger Smith. Granger Smith is a country music singer-songwriter, radio host, author, and Baptist minister. He has released eleven studio albums, one live album, and two EPs.
Anderson opened for John Michael Montgomery last year but says it wasn’t the first time he played at Volksfest. When Diamond Rio was the headlining act in 2017, Bryan got his guitar out and just started playing around town after the show. This spontaneous act planted a seed and he was eventually hired as one of the official festival entertainers. Opening for a national act is a big deal, even in a small town, but it’s not the only excitement Anderson has had recently.
Anderson, along with his girlfriend, parents and siblings, attended the Midwest Country Music Organization (CMO) awards in Arnold’s Park, IA on April 22. The CMO is a 501c3 non-profit, volunteer-run organization serving artists, fans and the music industry in the upper Midwest by providing the best resources and services to its members. Bryan was one of their New Artist of the Year nominees and although he didn’t win the award, he was happy for the opportunity to meet new people and make connections. He has also played at 3 or 4 venues in Nashville including the popular Texas Troubadour Theatre.
Bryan’s music career started to take shape when he was 8 years-old. His 7 year-old sister had a birthday party at the BelleCreek Roller Rink and received an electric guitar as a gift. While she and her friends were more interested in skating, Bryan sat down with the guitar and figured out how to play it and has been playing ever since. He says he learned four notes from a book and the rest on his own. In a similar fashion, he took two piano lessons before he quit, finding it easier to play by ear. In addition to piano and guitar, Bryan also plays bass, banjo, drums, and a little known instrument called the Ocarina, a wind instrument similar to a recorder. “I don’t know how I do what I do, but I do it,” he said, giving credit to his paternal grandmother, who was a vocalist, and his maternal grandfather who was also a singer and musician, for his natural talent for music.
Although he has been singing since he was 16 when he was part of a rock alternative band, Bryan says he still gets a little nervous but really enjoys interacting with a crowd. “It makes them happy and it makes me happy”. He draws a crowd across Southeast Minnesota having played in Cannon Falls, Zumbrota, Kenyon, Rochester, Stillwater and other towns. He is equally happy to step back as a drummer or as the lead guitar player for Hailey James (www.haileyjamesmusic.com), a Cottage Grove native whom he has played with at Country Fest and other shows.
Anderson also plays in Western Wisconsin cities including Prescott and Bay City. He is especially popular in River Falls where he attended college, majoring in crop and soil science. This agronomy degree has been useful for both calculating chemical application rates at his full-time job at Precision Landscaping & Construction Inc. in Hastings and on the home farm. The Andersons milk around 100 cows on the Vasa farm that was established in 1896. They own 500 acres, rent many more and along with other family members do custom bale wrapping and harvesting. When he can, Bryan helps out with milking, animal care, machinery maintenance, and fieldwork, sometimes pulling a 24-hour shift in the combine.
This farm-boy work ethic leads him to think that competing on a talent show such as American Idol or The Voice equates to the easy way to fame. The humble Anderson says he’s more interested in enjoying what he does than making it to the big time. Still, he knows he can’t pass up an opportunity when one comes along. “I don’t know how any of it happened,” he said about receiving a phone call from Red Ridge Entertainment in Nashville asking if he wanted to come and record an EP (an extended play musical recording that is shorter than a full length album).
Bryan was excited to work with the professional musicians and producers that included Tim McGraw’s bass player and Wynona Judd’s son-in-law. He was impressed with the quality of the recording and they were impressed with the quality of the songs. When he’s not farming; landscaping; spending time with his family, friends and dog; or putting on a show; he writes songs including four of the five songs on the EP. “I find humor and comfort in writing about personal experiences,” he explained.
Producing and distributing the EP is a paid service of the entertainment company. While this is not cheap, Anderson says his music career pays for his music career. His songs have gotten some radio air time in small markets or in the hours after midnight. You can find Bryan’s music on most digital platforms such as YouTube, Spotify, ITunes and Amazon where his songs have been played thousands of times for which he earns a small amount of money. T-shirts will soon be available for purchase at shows and you can buy his CD titled Anywhere But Here. Find a schedule and follow him at https://www.facebook.com/BryanAndersonMusic.
Bryan Anderson kicks off the Goodhue Volksfest entertainment Saturday night, June 10th at 6pm. Then see Lost Highway on their “Goodbye Tour” followed by national recording artist, Granger Smith.
