Colin Nagle

Artist Information

Biography

Colin Nagle is an American singer-songwriter and pianist from Rhode Island. He has performed for thousands of appreciative fans across the northeastern United States. He has appeared with Aztec Two-Step, The Wheeler School Concert Handbell Ringers, Steve Smith & The Nakeds, John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band, Francisco Pais, Fergie Frederiksen (Toto), Alex Ligertwood (Santana), Jimi Jamison (Survivor), The Eighteen Wheelers, The Georgetown University Orchestra, and the Rhode Island Philharmonic, among others. His work has been featured in films and on college radio, and has been heard by such notables as Rick Pitino, director Michael Corrente, Governor Donald L. Carcieri and former Massachusetts Governor and Presidential candidate Mitt Romney. In 2008 he released his first album of original songs, Mercury Rising Alone and is currently working on a follow-up. Visit www.colinnagle.com for the latest news and information pertaining to the Piano Man.

Instrumentation

Colin Nagle - piano, guitar, vocals, harmonica

Discography

"Mercury Rising Alone" (2008)
10 songs, available on iTunes, Rhapsody and CDBaby

"If It Weren't For You: Relay For Life Charity Single" (2009)
available on iTunes & Rhapsody

Audio

• If It Weren't For You (Relay For Life Charity Single)
  Listen   Download
• Mercury Rising Alone
  Listen   Download
• Mean Old World
  Listen   Download
• Who Wins
  Listen   Download
• The Emperor's New Clothes
  Listen   Download

Lyrics

• Who Wins
• Mean Old World
• Mercury Rising Alone
• A Fine Line
• Still Not Speaking
• Starlight
• Job Security
• Half A Gram of Heaven
• Friends
• Back On The Road

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• What They're Saying About Me [+ Show ]
  

  “The ease at which he handles himself in front of such a large audience is beyond impressive. The m...“The ease at which he handles himself in front of such a large audience is beyond impressive. The musical pieces he chose were complex, yet he performed them perfectly, while entertaining his listeners with wit and charm.”
  ~Dr. Diana L. Hackney, President/CEO, Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Rhode Island
  
  “We were particularly pleased that we had the opportunity to hear you perform in the ballroom this year. After hearing you play, we were not surprised to see interest in your talent translate into bids in the thousands of dollars. Despite your youth, you have clearly earned a following of appreciative fans.”
  ~The Hon. Donald L. Carcieri, Governor of Rhode Island
  
  “Of course, I was sort of prepped as to how talented this young man is, but there really was no way that you could have prepared us for the pleasure that we experienced during the three hour concert that we were privileged to attend last night”
  ~A Concertgoer
  
  “Colin was blessed with his talent and strength to achieve what he has in such a short life. You just walk away from his performance with such a refreshing feeling, especially in today’s turbulent times… I hope he is being marketed to the nth degree, because that kid is a shining star that needs to be seen by as big of an audience as possible.”
  ~Joe Anthony, concertgoer
  
  “…we will also be entertained by my favorite musician, Colin Nagle. Many of you have seen Colin perform and I’m sure you will agree with me when I say he alone is worth the price of admission.”
  ~Invitation, 3rd Annual “Celebrate Rhode Island” Ball
  
  “It’s got to be difficult to hold this young man back; he sure has all the grandeur and grace that can only be followed by greatness. If the Ed Sullivan Show was still around he would have been on it a long time ago.”
  ~Ed Gomes, concertgoer
  
  “Thank you for the most entertaining evening last night! My husband & I thoroughly enjoyed your music, humor, & multi-faceted talents! You are truly a gifted musician & a pleasure to watch.”
  ~Maria Barone, concertgoer
  
  
  
  

• Playing For A Cure: Relay's Piano Man [+ Show ]
  

  By Ashley Grant | Apr 01 2009 | Center Stage Georgetown set a high standard last year with its r...By Ashley Grant | Apr 01 2009 | Center Stage
  
  Georgetown set a high standard last year with its record-breaking fundraising for the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life. With two weeks until the big event, there are fundraising drives everywhere to battle the disease, which one out of every three people will contract in their lives. Cancer survivor and talented musician Colin Nagle (COL ‘11) is hosting a benefit concert the night before Relay to raise money and entertain the masses. He sat down with The Guide to discuss his personal history with cancer and his plans for the benefit concert.
  
  What is your experience with cancer?
  
  In 1992, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma — and normally that affects teenage males in longer bones. But I was four and it was in my jaw. It is a very rare cancer, and I had a very rare case. There were less than 25 cases like mine (in the jaw of a child) reported at the time I was diagnosed. I spent the better part of a year in Boston at a clinic. They were able to fix it with chemo treatments and surgery. My jaw was obviously affected by the surgery, but it was a small price to pay for my life. [Osteogenic sarcoma has a 33.3 percent mortality rate.] Since then I have had checkups once a year, but no real lapses.
  It is still a very rare, life-threatening type of cancer, and it would have been a lot scarier if I had been older. I knew that I wasn’t having the typical 4-year-old experience, but I was lucky to have it young, before I could comprehend the fullness of it. I would have gotten down on myself more, and having a positive outlook is as important as having proper medical care.
  
  Have you been involved with Relay before?
  
  I have not been involved at Georgetown yet, but I worked with it back home; my father’s company had a team. I was too busy freshman year, but my window overlooked it so I could watch and hear it, which got me excited for this year.
  
  When is your concert?
  
  Thursday, April 16, at 8 p.m. in McNeir.
  
  How can someone get tickets?
  
  You can get tickets by going to my Web site, colinnagle.com. There is a link to the Relay team page (which you join for a $10 donation to get a seat), or there is also a form you can fill out and get to me. You can also get them at the door, but the interest has been good, so it would probably be better to get them as early as possible, just to be sure that you have one. It would be great if we have to turn people away, but I want everyone to get the chance to come.
  
  How did you come up with the idea for this benefit concert?
  
  I have actually done similar concerts before. As I said earlier, it is so important to have a positive outlook. Also, I was lucky enough to have the Make-A-Wish Foundation come into my life during the treatments, and I was able to go to Disney World and be a normal kid. I wanted to give back somehow. On a whim I set up a benefit concert for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which made $20,000. As great as the program [Make-A-Wish] is, it deals with granting wishes to people with life-threatening diseases. As great as that is, I wanted to help out with prevention and treatment, so I got involved with ASC. With other similar events, I raised about $50,000 over the years. This [concert for Relay] won’t be as big, but as it grows in the next years, it could have the same potential. It’s not going to happen overnight, obviously, but every little bit helps.
  
  What are you expecting to make?
  
  I’m hoping for around $1,000. It’s great to have Georgetown as such an enthusiastic fundraiser for Relay — one of the top in the nation — and that the hospital actually ends up doing a lot of the work which the money goes toward. The activism of the students and results of the medical students is a great combination. Hopefully we will make a pretty big impact.
  
  What is the exact format of the concert going to be?
  
  It’s a solo concert piano and voice, but it incorporates a wide range of styles. It is a pop-rock format, but there are traces of blues and jazz. My target audience back home is people in their 30s and 40s, which is definitely different from the audience here. It is what they want to hear, not what I want to play. I don’t want people to be worried it will be piano and voice and that it will be boring. I am willing to play whatever people want to hear.
  
  There is a chance to do something a little different here, to open people’s eyes; the piano is more than classical music, though there is nothing wrong with that.
  
  The piano is making a comeback, but it is still nowhere near as popular. It plays a part in acts like Ben Folds, Keane and The Fray. It’s starting to get more prevalent again. As an instrument it is kind of underused these days. People playing get to a certain point, like playing Chopsticks and say that’s enough.
  
  But, if you know how to play you can do a lot more with it than you think.
  
  What I don’t understand is why it disappeared. If you look at what people consider good music, piano is everywhere. With the large crowd from New Jersey there is Bruce Springsteen, who has piano everywhere in his early albums. Elton John and Billy Joel also make great use of the piano. If you listen to any song in the classic rock Top 40, the piano or keyboard figures prevalently, and this is what everyone agrees as being quality music. It is one of the central components that doesn’t carry through to contemporary music.
  
  Some people like it and some people really don’t. I don’t want people to feel, “oh, what can you do with a piano?” It is a powerful instrument; you can simply bang on it, and you can even make people cry.
  
  What is the concert itself going to be like?
  
  The music will start at around 8 p.m. with me on the piano, and it will be amplified. There will be all types of music. People hear piano and they think boring — oh, it’s going to be Beethoven. And nothing against Beethoven, but people don’t want to hear that all the time. It will be a rock-type concert; people are familiar with Ben Folds — that kind of style. You can cover a lot of styles without it getting boring. Some typical Billy Joel, Elton John, my stuff and whatever people ask for. I like to see what people want to hear and if I can give them that. I also like to play new songs; I don’t like to play the same show twice.
  
  What is the playlist going to be?
  
  I am going to take into consideration the suggestions online. Some songs are set or a surprise; I don’t want to give them away.
  
  … Like, if you have a favorite artist and when you go to see them in concert they play same set, it is just blah. If you know what’s coming it can be good, but if you know everything that is coming it can get kind of boring. I want people to be interested in what they are going to hear.
  
  There’s nothing better than the reaction “oh, I never thought I would hear that song, but it sounds amazing.” I won’t do them in the same order. Always being sneaky, messing with their heads.
  
  What is your involvement with music?
  
  The point of piano is that you have to jazz it up somehow. You’re stuck behind a big plank. It’s not like a guitar, where you can strum away, run up to crowd or get the girls; you’re kind of stuck where you are. You have to make due some other ways, either through playing or some special effects. Not too many gimmicks though, the music has to come first. I don’t want people to be like he’s going to sit there and just going to play, boring.
  
  What is some of your involvement with music?
  
  I do bits and pieces around. I just joined the Capitol G’s. I play piano for 8 p.m. mass. I just finished up the synthesizer for Jekyll and Hyde. I have also had some stints with Chamber Singers and the orchestra. I kind of dabble. If someone will let me play, I will play. I get kicked off the piano right behind Sellinger in Leavey. Whenever I want to play, they have a conference. I was Elton John for Halloween, so I played there and went through the first three albums, in order. The people walking by were really into it, but the people at the conference got pretty mad …
  The point of piano is that you have to jazz it up somehow. You’re stuck behind a big plank. It’s not like a guitar, where you can strum away, run up to crowd or get the girls; you’re kind of stuck where you are. You have to make do some other ways, either through playing or some special effects. Not too many gimmicks though, the music has to come first. I don’t want people to be like he’s going to sit there and just going to play, boring.
  
  Are you involved with the music industry outside of campus?
  
  I have done some songwriting and recording in the city. I have gone to people’s sessions, written songs with people from here. I get certain elements from D.C. and a certain one from Georgetown. However, it is a hard time for the music market; a lot has changed because of the Internet. I came out with my own album this summer. I like writing but I enjoy it more as a performer. You have to sell things to making a living. However, the people around in the market these days don’t write very much anymore. If you can make it as a performer, then you can make it, which is definitely a good thing.
  You have to know how to play and put on a good show. Even if albums sales are nowhere where they used to be, people are making money doing shows, have that effect on people. I still have a lot to develop as a writer and performer. I can do both to a certain extent.
  
  Are you looking to pursue a future in music?
  
  Not as a starving artist. You don’t have to be starving to be considered a success. If people like your music, they will buy it. It’s just like any business. For example, if you go to restaurant and you like a steak, you are going to buy a steak. I’m not in it for the money, to use the old cliché. But really, I am not. I enjoy performing, and for work it is a chance earn so much more. I do get compensated pretty well, which is a nice gift to have in times like this. But that’s also one more reason why I feel like I should be giving back. It’s a really good job to have.
  
  More than ever, people need to donate to charity. Charity is the first place where people cut back. If you can give, I encourage you to do so.
  
  Final shameless plug?
  
  I think the concert serves two purposes: People get entertainment but more importantly they can feel good about themselves and the money they could have spent on a movie or dinner out can go to life-saving research. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for programs like these. It’s a good way to give back and get something out of it yourself. Alternatively, it’s a good way to see what English majors can do.
  
  
  
  Read more: Playing for a Cure: Relay's Piano Man | The Hoya - http://www.thehoya.com/node/18617#ixzz0BvDTDH9k
  

• Mercury Rising Alone Overview [+ Show ]
  

  In this age of auto-tuned vocals and pre-programmed beats, Colin Nagle almost seems like a throwback...In this age of auto-tuned vocals and pre-programmed beats, Colin Nagle almost seems like a throwback to an earlier era, but a quick listen to his debut album Mercury Rising Alone proves he is capable of bringing something relevant to the table. Witty and intelligent, the album’s 10 tracks are catchy and thought-provoking, still paying dividends even after multiple listens.
  Influenced by introspective writers like Jackson Browne and Elvis Costello, Nagle sought to make “an honest record,” he says, one that displays life as it is “or as it is perceived to be, rather than how I’d like it to be. There’s a fascinating dichotomy between ‘image’ and ‘reality’ that I wanted to explore on this album.”
  Nagle, who grew up in Hope, RI and is now a sophomore at Georgetown University, knew that in order to explore this idea adequately, he had to tell the complete story, warts and all, and found plenty of inspiration in his personal life. The result is an authentic collection of songs, loosely autobiographical, that takes as many swipes at the shortcomings of the narrator as it does at its subjects. “If you’re going to take the gloves off,” he says, “you’ve got to expect to take a few hits every now and then, too.” Nagle embraces this philosophy wholeheartedly in opening himself up for his listeners in songs like “Still Not Speaking,” in which he chastises those who are too afraid to take a stand: “You avoid confrontation like the plague/And I treat it like my best friend!” he writes.
  In addition to writing or co-writing all of the songs on the album, Nagle also produced the record and played and sang all the parts à la Karl Wallinger, with whom he shares an inclination to draw from an eclectic blend of musical sources. A classically trained pianist, Nagle is part Elton John, part Dr. John, with Harrison-esque slide guitar, traces of Steely Dan, Warren Zevon, Jackie Greene, and more. “In many ways, this album is an homage to some of my musical heroes,” Nagle says. “The stories are mine, but they’re part of a larger musical context that existed way before I came along, and it would be a mistake to ignore that common past.”
  Instead, by embracing this stylistic commonality, Nagle lends added authenticity to his songs by drawing from a shared musical experience. But to say that Mercury Rising Alone is a generic rehash of Music History 101 would be a gross misstatement. While there may be strains of Southern California rock or modal blues, just when you think you know what’s coming next, Nagle throws you a curveball. Melodically gifted and with a strong knowledge of harmony, he makes it clear whose song it is even when paying tribute to someone else. Poignant and powerful, lyrical or loud, courteous or cutting, on Mercury Rising Alone, Nagle establishes that he is in charge.
  “In a way, this album is all about attention,” Nagle says, “how we seek it, the ways it affects us, etc. The songs came about because I didn’t feel like anybody was paying attention, not just to me, but to each other, and they all deal with attention in some way or other, sometimes musically by toying with conventional expectations, and other times lyrically. In the case of ‘Headline Blues,’ although it’s in the first person, I’m actually asking in a collective voice, tongue-in-cheek, ‘why does anybody care what I have to say?’”
  After listening to Mercury Rising Alone, the answer will be clear.
  

Setlist

Sets vary in length from 45 mins to 3 hours or more depending on event. A typical set might look something like this:

A Fine Line
Can Ludwig Come Out To Play
Everything About You But You
Happy Couples
It’s Not Possible
Kathy’s Song
No Place Else To Go
Paradise
September 12th
April Rain
Spoiled Rotten
The Emperor’s New Clothes
Things I Already Know
Vanishing Venus
Warning Signs
The Wall
Yearbook, 2067
April 15th
Still Not Speaking
Mercury Is Rising Alone
Mean Old World
Job Security
Half A Gram of Heaven
Friends
Who Wins
The Next Time You See Me
+VARIOUS COVER SONGS sometimes

Basic Requirements

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