Nate Norton

Nate Norton and The Tempest Trio is a chamber-forward ensemble, emitting folk for the dark night of the soul. Pulsing nylon-stringed fingerstyle guitar lays the foundation for meticulously crafted orchestral textures to soar and weep under and in between Nate’s brassy, bellowing vocal incantations. Fans of Sufjan Stevens, Iron & Wine, and Jose Gonzalez often find themselves in familiar territory with Nate’s composition and style, while also finding parallels with the ominously gravelly timbre of Tom Waits. Heavily inspired by a harrowing escape from the world of religious fundamentalism, much of his catalog carries the undertones of the grim and traumatic circumstances from which it was born, while also embodying a prodigious sense of uplift, triumph, and hope. Nate Norton is a multi-instrumental musician, audio engineer, and composer/arranger, using every tool in his arsenal to actualize stories through song. Prior to embarking on his solo career in 2023, Nate Norton spent the previous decade fronting the horn-powered soul-and-funk-infused psychedelic rock outfit Lounge on Fire in Boise, ID. The release of 2 albums and more than 300 live performances across the western US and Canada have seasoned Nate as a musician, writer, and performer. Whereas Lounge on Fire is a high-octane assembly that errs on the side of discord, his eponymous music tames the bedlam into serenity while still maintaining big-band energy. In 2022, Nate migrated to Portland, Oregon, and shortly afterwards left his cybersecurity job to focus on music full time. Since moving to Portland, he has become an active member of the songwriter community there and frequently collaborates, writes, and performs with other musicians. This includes Twin Bridges - another chamber folk group - with whom he recently completed a European tour performing French horn, and formerly Boisean and woodwind aficianado Andy Rayborn (aka Paper Gates), who has worked extensively with him on string arrangements for his music. Nate has released a series of live videos performances, most recently “Vis Major” as an entry for NPR’s Tiny Desk concert series, which features a performance with a trio of violin, viola, and cello. Nate is currently finalizing production on his debut album, engineered and produced by Stephen Fisk, with a planned release of the first single in June 2024, and the album in Winter 2024-2025.