Nathan Wiley

Born and raised on Prince Edward Island in a household steeped in music, Nathan Wiley came from a maternal lineage where nearly everyone played an instrument. Family resistance to a drum kit prompted him to take up guitar at fifteen instead. Immersed in an eclectic range of sounds during his youth, he formed multiple rock groups while still in high school before striking out solo. After a year spent in Vancouver, he returned to the island in 1998, having already performed with the Tubetracks and the Cawdaddies. That same year he assembled the trio Evil Agents. His first full-length release, Bottom Dollar, arrived in 2002 and secured four East Coast Music Award nominations while landing on multiple year-end lists within Canadian music circles. He also claimed victory in CBC Radio’s “Big Break” contest for the Atlantic Region. Critics likened the record to the work of Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen. Roadwork in support placed him alongside Steve Earle, Dan Bern, Sarah Harmer, and Blue Rodeo, among others. Warner Music issued his follow-up, High Low, in September 2004; as on the debut, Wiley handled production duties and performed nearly every instrument himself. The album again drew four East Coast Music Award nods, this time including male artist of the year and songwriter of the year. Late-2004 dates with Ron Sexsmith and Sarah Slean further highlighted his songwriting. A video accompanied the title track, and in March 2005 he appeared at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas.