{{short description|American cellist (born 1977)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2018}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Steven Sharp Nelson | image = Steven Sharp Nelson (cropped).jpg | alt = | caption = Nelson in 2018 | birth_name = | alias = The Cello Guy | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|07|05}} | birth_place = Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S. | origin = | death_date = <!-- {{death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date 1st) --> | death_place = | genre = Classical, new-age | occupation = Cellist, composer | instrument = Cello | years_active = 2006–present | associated_acts = Jon Schmidt, The Piano Guys, Lindsey Stirling, Alex Boye, Lexi Walker | website = {{URL|stevensharpnelson.com}} }} '''Steven Sharp Nelson''' (born July 5, 1977) is an American cellist. He is best known as "The Cello Guy"<ref name=byu/><ref name=trib>{{cite web |url=https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=54027827&itype=cmsid|title=The Piano Guys: Marketing their music to the online masses|first=Celia R.|last=Baker|date=May 4, 2012|accessdate=March 10, 2019|work=The Salt Lake Tribune}}</ref> of the classical new-age musical group The Piano Guys, with whom he has released eight number-one albums and dozens of music videos. He also has three solo albums to his credit. He is considered a pioneer in "cello-percussion", which enhances traditional cello playing with pizzicato and percussive techniques.
==Early life and education== Steven Sharp Nelson grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah,<ref name=trib/> the son of John C. Nelson and Lynne Sanders.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.deseret.com/2014/6/6/20542756/what-fathers-know-best-notable-personalities-on-what-they-learned-from-their-dads/|title=Father knows best: Notable personalities on what they learned from their dads|first=Lois M. |last=Collins|work=Deseret News|date=June 8, 2014|access-date=March 10, 2019}}</ref> His mother was a former professional opera singer, and she died from a brain tumor on May 21, 1999,<ref name=wadley>{{cite web|title=Music is an escape, not a vocation, for cellist|url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/650196663/Music-is-an-escape-not-a-vocation-for-cellist.html?pg=all|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021092925/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/650196663/Music-is-an-escape-not-a-vocation-for-cellist.html?pg=all|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 21, 2012|date=October 8, 2006|first=Carma|last=Wadley|publisher=Deseret News|accessdate=March 10, 2019}}</ref> and his younger sister, Camille Nelson, is a folk musician.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.calledtoshare.com/2017/11/12/camille-nelson/|title=Camille Nelson Releases Her Latest Music Video, 'Israel, Israel God Is Calling'|first=Ben|last=Arkell|date=November 12, 2017|accessdate=March 10, 2019|publisher=Called to Share}}</ref> When he was seven, Nelson's father decided that each of his children would learn to play an instrument invented before 1800.<ref name=wadley/> Nelson tried the violin but discovered a passion for the cello.<ref name=wadley/> He studied cello with teacher Kate Reeves and then with Ryan Selberg, the principal cellist for the Utah Symphony.<ref name=pp/><ref name=trib/> Since his attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) inhibited his attention span for long practice sessions, he began practicing on other instruments as well, including drums, guitar, and piano.<ref name=pp/><ref name=trib/> This led to his developing creative ways to play the cello: "strumming it, banging it and using pizzicato much more aggressively – using my thumb, fist, fingernail and palm".<ref name=trib/> He also began playing with different types of musical groups, including bands, orchestras, and string quartets.<ref name=pp/>
Nelson earned his bachelor's degree in music from the University of Utah in 2002.<ref name=UU/><ref name=honor>{{cite web|title=U. to honor Piano Guys musician, professor|url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865625851/U-to-honor-Piano-Guys-musician-professor.html?pg=all|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151025131941/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865625851/U-to-honor-Piano-Guys-musician-professor.html?pg=all|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 25, 2015|work=Deseret News|date=April 6, 2015|accessdate=March 10, 2019}}</ref> In 2007<ref name=honor/> he earned a master's degree in public administration, as well as a graduate certificate in urban planning, from the same institution.<ref name=wadley/><ref name=UU>{{cite web|title=University of Utah Alumni Association awards $550,000 in scholarships and honors Piano Guys cellist and U professor (press release)|url=http://archive.unews.utah.edu/news_releases/university-of-utah-alumni-association-awards-550000-in-scholarships-and-honors-piano-guys-cellist-and-u-professor/|publisher=University of Utah| date=April 6, 2015|accessdate=March 10, 2019}}</ref>
==Career== Nelson initially pursued a career as a real estate developer, becoming the owner of Thornton Walker Real Estate.<ref name=UU/><ref name=wadley/> In his spare time, he played cello to accompany local musicians both on stage and in the studio. By 2006, he had played on more than 100 locally produced music CDs.<ref name=wadley/> Among his musician partners were several pianists and a guitarist.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705263044/Utah-pianist-cellist-working-together-to-make-beautiful-music.html?pg=all|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021093014/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705263044/Utah-pianist-cellist-working-together-to-make-beautiful-music.html?pg=all|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 21, 2012|title=Utah pianist, cellist working together to make beautiful music|date=November 16, 2008|author=Carma Wadley|publisher=Deseret News|accessdate=March 10, 2019}}</ref> In 2006 he described his music as "an escape, rather than a vocation", and didn't expect music to become his primary career.<ref name=wadley/>
In 1999 Nelson signed with Stone Angel Music, an independent record label in Salt Lake City founded by Paul Cardall. His first solo album, ''Sacred Cello'' (2006), entered the Billboard charts top 20 classical recordings and garnered a Pearl Award for Best Instrumental Classical Album.<ref name="manila2010">{{cite web|url=https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-219600539|publisher=Manila Bulletin|date=February 24, 2010|title=A-List Performances at the Podium}}{{dl|date=July 2021}}</ref> His other two solo albums are ''Tender Mercies'' (2008) and ''Christmas Cello'' (2010).<ref name=UU/>
===The Piano Guys=== {{main|The Piano Guys}} [[File:Piano Guys.JPG|thumb|right|The Piano Guys' Jon Schmidt (left) and Nelson (right) perform live in 2002]] Nelson became a member of The Piano Guys in 2011.<ref name=UU/> The group was the brainchild of Paul Anderson, owner of The Piano Guys piano store in St. George, Utah, who sought an innovative way to promote his store via social media.<ref name=entre/> In 2009 Anderson saw a YouTube music video that local musician Jon Schmidt had uploaded "for fun",<ref name=herald/> featuring Schmidt on piano and Nelson on cello and kick drum performing a mashup called "Love Story Meets Viva la Vida", which combined the Taylor Swift country pop "Love Story" with Coldplay's Baroque pop "Viva la Vida". The video garnered over one million hits.<ref name=yam>{{cite web |url=http://www.yamahaentertainmentgroup.com/all-access/item/13-jon-schmidt-the-piano-guys-piano-guy|title=Jon Schmidt – The Piano Guys' Piano Guy|publisher=Yamaha Entertainment Group|accessdate=May 7, 2017}}</ref> Anderson hired the duo to perform on videos that he would professionally film in unusual locations and upload to his store's YouTube channel.<ref name=yam/><ref name=entre>{{cite web |url=https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/244389|title=How These Four Dads From Utah Quit Their Day Jobs to Make Millions on YouTube|first=Geoff|last=Weiss|date=March 27, 2015|accessdate=May 4, 2017|work=Entrepreneur}}</ref><ref name=herald/> Nelson brought in his neighbor, Al van der Beek, a songwriter and music arranger who had a home recording studio, to the project.<ref name=herald/> Tel Stewart assisted with video production.<ref name=usa>{{cite web|last1=della Cava|first1=Marco R.|title=Web hit Piano Guys sign with Sony|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/music/news/story/2012-09-04/five-guys-web-sensation-sony/57590944/1|work=USA Today|accessdate=May 7, 2017|date=September 5, 2012}}</ref>
The Piano Guys gained their first widespread exposure with "Michael Meets Mozart" (2011), thanks to Schmidt's invitation to the nearly 30,000 people on his fan mailing list "to watch it and share it"; as a result, people began watching the videos beyond the region.<ref name=herald>{{cite web |url=http://www.heraldpalladium.com/features/the-piano-guys-are-doing-better-than-okay/article_a887dbc3-c1a2-543b-bb89-263946a8e655.html|title= The Piano Guys are doing better than 'Okay'|first=Jeremy D.|last=Bonfiglio|date=September 22, 2016|accessdate=March 10, 2019|work=The Herald-Palladium}}</ref> The video featured Nelson playing 100 cello tracks to achieve the final effect.<ref name=trib/> Nelson's video performances of "Cello Wars" (2011) and "Beethoven's 5 Secrets" (2012) debuted at number one on the YouTube charts.<ref name=UU/>
The Piano Guys signed with Sony Masterworks in 2012.<ref name=usa/> At that point they all quit their regular jobs to pursue their musical career.<ref name=entre/> The group has released eight number-one albums. As of February 2024 they have surpassed 2.3 billion views on their YouTube channel and have 7.09 million subscribers.<ref name=troy>{{cite web |url= https://www.troyrecord.com/lifestyle/review-a-mesmerizing-evening-with-the-piano-guys/article_2ff928b4-5cac-5723-b83a-be50394c77e9.html|title= Review: A mesmerizing evening with The Piano Guys|first=Stan|last=Hudy|date=August 8, 2018|accessdate=March 10, 2019|work=The Record}}</ref> Their most popular video is a cover of Christina Perri's ''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgaTQ5-XfMM A Thousand Years],'' with over 223 million views.
==Musical style== Nelson performs a variety of musical styles, including classical, folk, new age, and inspirational.<ref name=wadley/> He is considered a pioneer in "cello-percussion", which enhances traditional cello playing with pizzicato and percussive techniques.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://getsongbpm.com/artist/steven-sharp-nelson/pk6qN|title=Steven Sharp Nelson|work=Get Song BPM|accessdate=March 10, 2019}}</ref> He owns 41 cellos, which he says produce different sounds and have different "personalities".<ref name=pp>{{cite web |url= http://magazine.pianoperformers.org/featured-interview-the-piano-guys-from-youtube-to-world-tour/|title=Featured Interview: The Piano Guys – From YouTube to World Tour|first=Esther|last=Basha|date=June 22, 2018|accessdate=March 10, 2019|work=Piano Performer Magazine}}</ref> He also plays kick drum.<ref name=trib/>
He credits his influences as Yo-Yo Ma, Bobby McFerrin, and Victor Borge.<ref name=wadley/>
==Personal life== Nelson is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.<ref name=entre/> As part of his faith, Nelson served a mission to South Korea.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.deseretnews.com/article/865592368/The-Piano-Guys-4-dads-on-a-mission.html|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131216173654/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865592368/The-Piano-Guys-4-dads-on-a-mission.html|url-status= dead|archive-date= December 16, 2013|title=The Piano Guys: 4 Dads on a Mission|date=December 16, 2013|last=Bowler|first=Hillary|accessdate=March 10, 2019|work=Deseret News}}</ref> He considers his art and his touring as a means to spread the gospel; he says that he also gives away a copy of the Book of Mormon to someone on nearly every tour.<ref name=byu/> He and the other members of The Piano Guys, all LDS, pray together before each concert, recording session, and video shoot.<ref name=byu>{{cite web |url= https://universe.byu.edu/2016/03/10/the-cello-guy-strives-to-be-a-missionary-to-the-world1/|title='The Cello Guy' strives to be a missionary to the world|first=Madison|last=McBride|date=March 10, 2016|accessdate=March 10, 2019|work=The Daily Universe}}</ref>
Nelson and his wife, Julie, have four children and reside in Salt Lake City.<ref name=byu/> In 2017, he performed a duet together with his daughter Lucy, who sang, in the One Voice Children's Choir's music video of "Only Hope".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.calledtoshare.com/2017/03/13/piano-guys-favorite-video/|title=Cellist From The Piano Guys Stars In 'Favorite Video To Date'|first=Ben|last=Arkell|year=2017|accessdate=March 10, 2019|work=Called to Share}}</ref> In 2018 he performed with his wife, who played violin, in a cover of "Rewrite the Stars".<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cINJwaAn4Y |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/5cINJwaAn4Y |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Rewrite the Stars – Violin/Cello Version (from the Greatest Showman) – The Piano Guys|year=2018|publisher=The Piano Guys|accessdate=March 10, 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
==Discography== thumb ===Solo albums=== *''Sacred Cello'' (2006) *''Tender Mercies'' (2008) *''Christmas Cello'' (2010) *''Grace'' (2014)
===The Piano Guys=== *''Hits Volume 1'' (2011) *''The Piano Guys'' (2012) *''The Piano Guys 2'' (2013) *''A Family Christmas'' (2013) *''Wonders'' (2014) *''Live!'': Carnegie Hall Audio + Red Rocks Concert Video (2015) *''Uncharted'' (2016) *''Christmas Together'' (2017) *''Limitless'' (2018)
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== {{cc}} * {{Official website|http://www.stevensharpnelson.com/}} * {{IMDB name|6098737}} * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ_fkw5j-t0 "Beethoven's 5 Secrets – One Republic – The Piano Guys” (2012 music video)] * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ry4BzonlVlw "The Cello Song – (Bach is back with 7 more cellos) – The Piano Guys" (2011 music video)] *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR94NDIfGmA "Michael Meets Mozart – 1 Piano, 2 Guys, 100 Cello Tracks – The Piano Guys" (2011 music video)] *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgAlQuqzl8o "Cello Wars (Star Wars Parody) Lightsaber Duel – The Piano Guys" (2011 music video)]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Nelson, Steven Sharp}} Category:1977 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century American cellists Category:Latter Day Saints from Utah Category:Musicians from Salt Lake City Category:University of Utah alumni Category:American Mormon missionaries in South Korea Category:People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder