J. Bradley Collier

J. Bradley Collier is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwest VA. As a teen, J. Bradley joined a local progressive rock band called Catharsis, fast-tracking his education on the bass guitar and cutting his musical teeth on the music of prog-rock bands like Yes, Genesis, and Kansas.
At the age of nineteen, J. Bradley left his home in VA to travel the country, working at Renaissance and Folk Festivals, always looking for the next jam. In the years since, he has worked with a number of the most talented artists on this circuit: As You Like It, Old Soles, Brollywacker, Cantiga, Jim Hancock, Empty Hats, and most notably The Minstrels of Mayhem. J. Bradley's current group, The New Minstrel Revue was founded in 2007 with fellow Minstrels alumnus, Jerry Barry. The New Minstrel Revue has been touring and recording since then, playing some of the best music to ever be heard at a Renaissance Festival. Their combination of musicality and humor wins over audiences everywhere they go.
As a solo artist, J. Bradley is hard to pin down to a a specific genre. With influences ranging from ancient Iberian melodies through the music of Fairport Convention and The Beatles to contemporary troubadors like Ryan Adams, his songwriting covers a wide range of styles. Listing among his heroes musicians like J.J. Cale, Richard Thompson, and David Gilmour, it's only natural that the guitar should find it's way to the forefront of J. Bradley's musical output. Whether it's finger-picking his way through an old Irish dance tune or ripping out distortion-laden, wailing guitar solos, J. Bradley seems most at home when he has a guitar in his hands.
Years of experience performing for various themed events have helped J. Bradley develop an extensive repertoire of music from throughout the ages and around the world. He can build a set list to suit most any venue, from folk and rock clubs, to Irish Festivals, maritime celebrations, blues bars, and historical re-enactments like Renaissance, Medieval, and Colonial festivals. For J. Bradley, it's all part of the same musical soundscape, and each new song or style adds to his understanding of the bigger picture.