Brian Ernst
Walking the path of the artist means walking the path of the people. Brian Ernst (Lenape) is a world traveling, live-looping musician originally from the Ohio River Valley. He just released a new record/film, Songs in the Key of Freedom, which is the 8th album of his 18 year career. Born from the years he spent living/touring in Africa, from months working in the refugee camps in Greece + Türkiye (where he served families fleeing war in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria) and from holding the line at Standing Rock (2016), his music is a reflection of his world travels.
Known for his dynamic live-looping performances, Ernst plays multiple instruments on stage. He live loops acoustic guitar, bass, beatboxing, vocal harmonies, percussion (which includes a chain), didgeridoo’s and enough passion and soul to take he and his family across 50 states and 37 countries. He toured in buses that were powered by waste veggie oil, selling over 20,000 albums and sharing videos that have over 1.6 million views. He embraces a grassroots approach to music and community building, and it continues to grow.
Ernst is a proud citizen of the Delaware Tribe of Indians (Lenni-Lenape, Turtle Clan). He advocates for federal Indian law reform as well as constitutionally protected treaties. Brian and his wife Katie co-founded Journey4YOUth, which is a 501c3 nonprofit (NGO) that works with the Luo tribe in Kenya. They have raised over $200,000 for education scholarships and clean water initiatives since 2010.