With pieces like “Diamond Driller Song,” it’s clear that Nelson Little’s music is influenced by his northern Manitoba roots.
Little, who formerly lived in Thompson but now calls Portage la Prairie home, was travelling the northern region last month to promote his latest album, Ain’t Afraid of the Truth.
In speaking with him, it’s clear that a sense of community among artists is vital to him as a musician.
Little’s first recording was a live album he recorded with his first band, 100 Years Rising, of which he was a member for two years before parting ways.
Yet when asked whether he preferred life as a solo artist, Little said that for him, there’s no such thing.
“It’s my name on the album, but really, every recording is a team effort,” he said. “I’ve even thought about just changing my artist name to just Nelson, something more abstract, that sounds less like an individual.”
And what a team it is: for Ain’t Afraid of the Truth, Nelson recruited the likes of producer Dale Penner, who produced Loverboy’s hit “Heaven In Your Eyes.”
Penner also produced Nickelback’s second studio album, The State, which would help earn them their first Juno Award for Best New Group.
Also featured on Little’s album are Joey Landreth and Ryan Voth, frontman and drummer, respectively, of the Juno Award-winning country-folk band The Bros. Landreth.
