Nancy comes to the stage with a deep love of music. At twelve years old she successfully negotiated a deal with her mother to end the piano lessons and pick up the guitar. Guitar playing came naturally and she spent hours learning and playing songs written by her favorite artists and strongest influences including John Denver, Dan Fogelberg, and James Taylor in the early days, and later Nanci Griffith, Shawn Colvin and Mary Chapin-Carpenter. “All those years I spent listening to and playing covers by these great artists, I was subconsciously learning to write.”
Nancy worked her way through college playing and singing cover tunes at local clubs and restaurants. She graduated with a B.S. in Psychology and began her work as a counselor for troubled children and teens. In 1993 she tried her hand at songwriting and just one year later she was invited to play as a finalist in the Telluride Troubadour Contest (CO). This validation of Nancy’s songwriting ability encouraged her to continue to write and play contests where her music could be heard. Nancy went on to be a New Folk Finalist at the Kerrville Folk Festival (TX), and the Napa Valley Music Festival (CA), and a winner at both the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival Songwriting Contest and the Telluride Troubadour Contest (CO). Nancy’s song “Drops in a Bucket” won the 1998 Fast Folk Café (NY) Songwriting Contest and earned 2nd place in the folk category of the 2000 John Lennon Songwriting Contest.
Nancy's past appearances include the Bluebird Café in Nashville, The Fast Folk Café in New York City, and shows to sell out crowds at various venues in her home state of Utah. She has tremendous live performance skills and it is apparent by her dedicated and loyal fan base.
Often referred to as “the natural” by fellow musicians and fans alike, Nancy Hanson continues to grow as a songwriter, performer, and recording artist. Much like the great names that inspired her, Nancy continues to inspire and lift others as she musically paints about the wonders and mysteries of life and love.