Dan Wilson (musician)
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Daniel Dodd Wilson is an American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. His songwriting résumé includes " Closing Time", which he wrote for his band,
Semisonic Semisonic is an American rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1995, consisting of Dan Wilson (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), John Munson (bass, keyboards, backing vocals, guitar), and Jacob Slichter (drums, percussion, keyboards, ba ...
; "
Not Ready to Make Nice "Not Ready to Make Nice" is a song co-written and performed by American country music trio Dixie Chicks. It was released in March 2006 as the first single from the band's seventh studio album, ''Taking the Long Way''. The Dixie Chicks wrote the s ...
", co-written with
The Chicks The Chicks (previously known as Dixie Chicks) are an American country music band from Dallas, Texas. Since 1995, the band has consisted of Natalie Maines (lead vocals, guitar) and sisters Martie Maguire (vocals, fiddle, mandolin, guitar) and Em ...
; and " Someone Like You", co-written with
Adele Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (, ; born 5 May 1988), professionally known by the mononym Adele, is an English singer and songwriter. After graduating in arts from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele signed a reco ...
. He earned a Grammy nomination for "Closing Time" (
Best Rock Song The Grammy Award for Best Rock Song is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality songs in the rock music genre. Honors in several ...
) and won Grammys for Song of the Year ("Not Ready to Make Nice" in 2007) and Album of the Year (which he won in 2012 as one of the producers of Adele's '' 21''). In addition to being the leader of Semisonic, Wilson has released several solo recordings, including the 2017 release '' Re-Covered''. He was also a member of the
Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
psychedelic rock Psychedelic rock is a rock music Music genre, genre that is inspired, influenced, or representative of psychedelia, psychedelic culture, which is centered on perception-altering hallucinogenic drugs. The music incorporated new electronic sound ...
band
Trip Shakespeare Trip Shakespeare was an American rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the late 1980s/early 1990s. The band included Dan Wilson and John Munson, who would later go on to be founding members of Semisonic. Origins The band originated wh ...
.


Early life and education

Wilson is a native of
St. Louis Park, Minnesota St. Louis Park is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 50,010 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is a first-ring suburb immediately west of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Min ...
. Wilson attended
Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
, where he studied visual arts with a focus on printmaking and from which he graduated B.A. ''
summa cum laude Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some Sou ...
'' in Visual and Environmental Studies in 1983, while he resided in
Dunster House Dunster House is one of twelve undergraduate residential Houses at Harvard University. Built in 1930, it is one of the first two dormitories at Harvard University constructed under President Abbott Lawrence Lowell's House Plan and one of the sev ...
. Wilson is an accomplished artist, and won the first Louis Sudler Prize for Outstanding Artistic Talent and Achievement in 1983. While in college, he began collaborating with his brother, singer-songwriter Matt Wilson, who also attended
Harvard College Harvard College is the undergraduate college of Harvard University, an Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636, Harvard College is the original school of Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher lea ...
. The Wilson brothers played in two bands, Animal Dance and the Love Monsters. After college, Wilson pursued his interest in drawing and painting, first in San Francisco and then in Minneapolis.


Career


Early career

In 1987, Wilson joined the
Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
psychedelic band,
Trip Shakespeare Trip Shakespeare was an American rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the late 1980s/early 1990s. The band included Dan Wilson and John Munson, who would later go on to be founding members of Semisonic. Origins The band originated wh ...
, which Matt Wilson had founded with bassist
John Munson John Munson (born December 13, 1966) is an American musician who is best known as the bass player for Semisonic. He was also a member of Trip Shakespeare during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Trip Shakespeare Matt Wilson, lead vocalist of Tri ...
and drummer Elaine Harris. The original three members had already released one record, ''
Applehead Man ''Applehead Man'' is the debut studio album released by Minneapolis alternative rock band Trip Shakespeare. It was released in 1986 on Minneapolis label Gark Records, then reissued in 1998 on Minneapolis label Clean/Twin/Tone Records, and again ...
'', and now as a quartet, with Wilson on guitar, piano, sharing lead vocal duties with Matt Wilson—with whom Wilson also co-wrote many of the songs—and Munson, the band released three more albums ('' Are You Shakespearienced?'', 1988, Gark Records; ''
Across the Universe "Across the Universe" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles. It was written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The song first appeared on the 1969 various artists' charity compilation album ''No One's Gonna Change Our W ...
'', 1990,
A&M Records A&M Records was an American record label founded as an independent company by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss in 1962. Due to the success of the discography A&M released, the label garnered interest and was acquired by PolyGram in 1989 and began distr ...
; ''
Lulu Lulu may refer to: Companies * LuLu, an early automobile manufacturer * Lulu.com, an online e-books and print self-publishing platform, distributor, and retailer * Lulu Hypermarket, a retail chain in Asia * Lululemon Athletica or simply Lulu, a C ...
'', 1991, A&M Records) and one EP (''
Volt The volt (symbol: V) is the unit of electric potential, electric potential difference (voltage), and electromotive force in the International System of Units (SI). It is named after the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta (1745–1827). Defi ...
'', 1992,
Twin Tone Twin/Tone Records was an independent record label based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which operated from 1977 until 1994. It was the original home of influential Minnesota bands the Replacements and Soul Asylum and was instrumental in helping the T ...
). Since Trip Shakespeare's breakup in 1992, Wilson has continued to collaborate with his brother, including the release of two live albums (''Minneapolis 2010'' and ''Minneapolis 2013'').


With Semisonic

After
Trip Shakespeare Trip Shakespeare was an American rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the late 1980s/early 1990s. The band included Dan Wilson and John Munson, who would later go on to be founding members of Semisonic. Origins The band originated wh ...
's breakup in 1992, Wilson and Munson joined with drummer
Jacob Slichter Jacob Slichter (born Jacob Huber Slichter, April 5, 1961) is an American musician. He is best known for being the drummer for the rock band Semisonic. Early life Slichter, the son of physicist Charles Slichter, was born in Boston, Massachu ...
to form Pleasure, a trio that was later renamed
Semisonic Semisonic is an American rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1995, consisting of Dan Wilson (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), John Munson (bass, keyboards, backing vocals, guitar), and Jacob Slichter (drums, percussion, keyboards, ba ...
. Semisonic released one EP, three full-length albums, and one live album. The band's first album, '' Great Divide'', received critical acclaim.
David Fricke David Fricke is an American music journalist who serves as the senior editor at ''Rolling Stone'' magazine, where he writes predominantly about rock music. One of the best known names in rock journalism, his career has spanned over 40 years. I ...
wrote in a year-end
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
article on the notable albums of 1996, "Great Divide is that rare '96 beast, a record of simple but sparkling modern pop, rattling with power-trio vitality." It was their 1998 release, '' Feeling Strangely Fine'', however, that brought the band to widespread national and then international attention and success. Powered by Wilson's songs " Closing Time", which was a number-one hit on the Modern Rock charts for thirteen weeks in the spring and summer of 1998, the follow-up single " Singing in My Sleep", and "
Secret Smile ''Secret Smile'' is a Television in the United Kingdom, British drama television series, serial in two parts shown by ITV (TV network), ITV in December 2005. It is set in Acton, London and is based on the 2003 Nicci French book of the same name, ...
", a breakthrough hit for the band internationally, ''Feeling Strangely Fine'' attained platinum sales status in the U.S. and U.K. "Closing Time" received a 1999 Grammy nomination for Best Rock Song and has become an enduring pop-culture reference point for the late 1990s. It was a focal point of the plot and soundtrack of the 2011 film ''Friends with Benefits''. Semisonic's third album, ''
All About Chemistry ''All About Chemistry'' is the third and most recent studio album by American rock band Semisonic, released on March 13, 2001, through MCA Records. With this release, the band failed, at least in America, to capitalize on the momentum it had ge ...
'', was released in 2001, and featured Wilson's song "
Chemistry Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...
", the album's first single, and also included "One True Love", a song Wilson co-wrote with
Carole King Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who has been active since 1958, initially as one of the staff songwriters at 1650 Broadway and later as a solo artist. Regarded as one ...
. Semisonic stopped touring in August 2001 but continued to perform on occasion. Slichter's memoir, ''So You Wanna Be a Rock & Roll Star'', provides a detailed account of the band's adventures and misadventures in the music business. On June 26, 2020, Semisonic released their first single in nearly 20 years titled " You're Not Alone," followed by an EP of the same name on September 18, 2020.


As a solo artist


''Free Life''

Wilson's solo debut, '' Free Life'', was released in 2007 by American Recordings. Produced with
Rick Rubin Frederick Jay Rubin (; born March 10, 1963) is an American record producer. He is the co-founder (alongside Russell Simmons) of Def Jam Recordings, founder of American Recordings, and former co-president of Columbia Records. Rubin helped popula ...
, ''Free Life'' was recorded in Minneapolis and Los Angeles and includes performances by
Tracy Bonham Tracy Bonham (born March 16, 1967) is an American alternative rock musician, best known for her 1996 single "Mother Mother". Raised in Eugene, Oregon, Bonham is a classically trained violinist and pianist, and is also a self-taught guitarist. Sh ...
,
Sheryl Crow Sheryl Suzanne Crow (born February 11, 1962) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, pop, country, folk, and blues. She has released eleven studio albums, five compilations and three li ...
,
Jason Lader Jason Lader is an American record producer, audio engineer, and mixer from New York. He is also known for playing bass guitar, keyboards, piano, guitar, and as a programmer. He was a member of the band Furslide, and has since worked with Howard ...
,
Gary Louris Gary Louris (born March 10, 1955) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter of alternative country and pop music. He was a founding member of the Minneapolis-based band the Jayhawks and their principal songwriter and vocalist after the ...
,
Natalie Maines Natalie Louise Maines (born October 14, 1974) is an American singer. She is the lead vocalist for the all-female country band The Chicks. In 1995, after leaving Berklee College of Music, Maines was recruited by the Dixie Chicks to replace their ...
,
Benmont Tench Benjamin Montmorency "Benmont" Tench III (born September 7, 1953) is an American musician and singer, and a founding member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Early years Tench was born in Gainesville, Florida, the second child of Benjamin ...
, and a number of Minneapolis-based musicians including multi-instrumentalist and frequent Semisonic sideman
Ken Chastain Kenneth Lee Chastain (born October 15, 1964, Hanover, New Hampshire) is a musician, engineer, and producer currently living in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is featured on percussion on Ziggy Marley's ''Love Is My Religion'' album and many other well ...
, Eric Fawcett, John Hermanson, Joanna James,
Mason Jennings Mason Jennings is an American folk-pop singer-songwriter. Biography Born in Hawaii, Jennings moved with his family to Pittsburgh at an early age. Jennings learned to play guitar at the age of 13, when he began writing songs. Jennings later dr ...
, Steve Rhoem, Joe Savage, as well as Wilson's Semisonic bandmates Munson and Slichter. ''Free Life'' helped establish Wilson's reputation as a songwriter, with ''
The A.V. Club ''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
'' writing, "the star of the show here is Wilson's remarkable instinct for creating gorgeous songs, and his unabashed, obvious joy in doing so. For anyone worried that songcraft is an endangered species, ''Free Life'' should ease those fears." The song ''Breathless'' became a big hit in Greece (and other Balkan countries) and Dan Wilson performed it at the 2009
MAD Video Music Awards The MAD Video Music Awards is a Greek award show presented by the MAD TV. The awards honor the year's biggest achievements in music, voted by the viewers of Mad television. Winners receive an authentic Mad designed award with the graphics of that ...
.


''Love Without Fear''

Wilson's second solo album, ''Love Without Fear'', was released on April 15, 2014 and includes performances by
Sara Bareilles Sara Beth Bareilles (, ; born December 7, 1979) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She has sold over three million albums and over 15 million singles in the United States. She has earned various awards and nominations including nin ...
,
Missy Higgins Melissa Morrison Higgins (born 19 August 1983), known professionally as Missy Higgins, is an Australian singer-songwriter and musician. Her Australian number-one albums are ''The Sound of White'' (2004), ''On a Clear Night'' (2007) and ''The Ol ...
,
Lissie Elisabeth Corrin Maurus (born November 21, 1982), known as Lissie, is an American singer-songwriter. She released her debut EP, "Why You Runnin'", in November 2009. Her debut album, '' Catching a Tiger'', was released in June 2010. Her second st ...
,
Natalie Maines Natalie Louise Maines (born October 14, 1974) is an American singer. She is the lead vocalist for the all-female country band The Chicks. In 1995, after leaving Berklee College of Music, Maines was recruited by the Dixie Chicks to replace their ...
,
Blake Mills Blake Mills (born September 21, 1986) is an American songwriter, guitarist, producer, and composer based in California. Biography Blake Mills was born in Santa Monica, California, United States, and grew up in Malibu, where he attended Malibu ...
,
Sara Watkins Sara Ullrika Watkins (born June 8, 1981) is an American singer-songwriter and fiddler. Watkins debuted in 1989 as the fiddler of Nickel Creek, the progressive bluegrass group she formed with her brother Sean and mandolinist Chris Thile. In addi ...
, and
Sean Watkins Sean Charles Watkins (born February 18, 1977) is a guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. He is a member of the contemporary folk band Nickel Creek, the duo Fiction Family and the supergroup Works Progress Administration. He is the brother of Sara ...
. The first recording from ''Love Without Fear'', "Disappearing" (with a cover of
Neil Young Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian-American singer and songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, joining Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Richie Furay ...
's "Out on the Weekend" included as a b-side) was released on November 7, 2013 and was the debut release of the new singles label, Canvasclub. In describing the album, Wilson said, "The songs are about being left alone, not wanting to lose someone, about desperately wishing for connection and togetherness. The sound of the record lives at the intersection of
Americana Americana may refer to: *Americana (music), a genre or style of American music *Americana (culture), artifacts of the culture of the United States Film, radio and television * ''Americana'' (1992 TV series), a documentary series presented by J ...
and
Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developme ...
- influenced rock and roll. A little bit of twang and a lot of cinematic emotion." The album received largely favourable reviews emphasizing Wilson's reputation as a songwriter. "Dan Wilson's career is proof positive that smart, elegant songwriting has a place in music… ove Without Fearis a lovely amalgamation of chamber rock, gentle country, gooey '70s pop and snappy soul."


''Re-Covered''

Wilson's third solo studio album, '' Re-Covered'', was released on August 4, 2017. The album is a collection of reinterpretations of songs Wilson wrote for other artists, both big hits and "songs that I always wished were big hits, but weren't." The album includes " Someone Like You" (written with
Adele Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (, ; born 5 May 1988), professionally known by the mononym Adele, is an English singer and songwriter. After graduating in arts from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele signed a reco ...
), "
Not Ready To Make Nice "Not Ready to Make Nice" is a song co-written and performed by American country music trio Dixie Chicks. It was released in March 2006 as the first single from the band's seventh studio album, ''Taking the Long Way''. The Dixie Chicks wrote the s ...
" (written with
Dixie Chicks The Chicks (previously known as Dixie Chicks) are an American country music band from Dallas, Texas. Since 1995, the band has consisted of Natalie Maines (lead vocals, guitar) and sisters Martie Maguire (vocals, fiddle, mandolin, guitar) and E ...
), "
Home A home, or domicile, is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for one or many humans, and sometimes various companion animals. It is a fully or semi sheltered space and can have both interior and exterior aspects to it. H ...
" (written with
Dierks Bentley Frederick Dierks Bentley (; born November 20, 1975) is an American country music singer and songwriter. In 2003, he signed to Capitol Nashville and released his eponymous debut album. Both it and its follow-up, 2005's ''Modern Day Drifter'', ar ...
and
Brett Beavers Brett Beavers (born in Waco, Texas), is an American country music songwriter and producer and the co-author of the book ''Something Worth Leaving Behind''. Education and early career Beavers attended Baylor University, where he earned a bachelo ...
), and "When The Stars Come Out" (written with
Chris Stapleton Christopher Alvin Stapleton (born April 15, 1978) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He was born in Lexington, Kentucky, and grew up in Staffordsville, Kentucky. In 2001, Stapleton moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to ...
).


''Singles''

In September 2018 Wilson announced that he would begin releasing new music that Fall. Rather than organizing the new songs into an album, he would instead release them over time as monthly singles. According to Wilson, "I fell in love with the idea of just letting songs out into the world when they happen." "I don't have anything against making an album. If I do 15 or 20 of these I would love the idea of packaging them together and calling it an album. I think that'd be fantastic, but I don't really have that in my mind. I'm just trying to be free."


''Words and Music by Dan Wilson''

Wilson's discoveries as a solo artist and collaborator with other artists are the subject of "Words and Music by Dan Wilson", solo concerts in which he performs some of his songs and describes the songs' various inspirations or the insights that occasioned their composition. "Words and Music by Dan Wilson" has come to Hotel Cafe, Room 5 and Largo in Los Angeles,
Joe's Pub Joe's Pub, one of the six performance spaces within The Public Theater, is a music venue and restaurant that hosts live performances across genres and arts, ranging from cabaret to modern dance to world music. It is located at 425 Lafayette St ...
and
City Winery City Winery is a winery, restaurant, music venue and private event location in Hudson Square, New York City. Other locations include Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville, Boston, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia. Satellite locations are sited in Chicago ...
in New York, World Cafe Live in Philadelphia, Jammin' Java in DC, Rams Head in Annapolis,
The Cedar Cultural Center The Cedar Cultural Center ("the Cedar") is a music venue in Cedar-Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States near the West Bank campus of the University of Minnesota. It is a 501(c) organization, 503(c) non-profit organization ...
in Minneapolis, the
Fitzgerald Theater The Fitzgerald Theater is the oldest active theatre in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and the home of American Public Media's ''Live from Here'' (formerly '' A Prairie Home Companion''). It was one of many theaters built by the Shubert Theatre Corporatio ...
in Saint Paul, Schubas Tavern in Chicago,
Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cours ...
's Red Room at Cafe 939 in Boston, and the Red Barn concert series in Northfield, MN. Wilson has also presented Words & Music workshops at the 2012
ASCAP The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadca ...
expo,
UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California St ...
's Herb Alpert School of Music, and USC's Thornton School of Music. Wilson's thoughts about songwriting and the creative process are also captured in his series
Words & Music in Six Seconds
which was originally launched on Vine and is now regularly posted on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. From
American Songwriter ''American Songwriter'' is a bimonthly magazine covering songwriting. Established in 1984, it features interviews, songwriting tips, news, reviews and lyric contest. The magazine is based in Nashville, Tennessee. History The ''American Songwri ...
, "In his short videos, Wilson provides insightful quips about common songwriting insecurities, methodology, personal writing quirks, and various other tips for writing your best."


As a songwriter and producer

As a songwriter and producer, Wilson has collaborated with a number of artists. Two of these collaborations have earned him
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
. A number of artists have described Wilson's ability to help put their feelings and ideas into song. Speaking of her experience of working with him,
Pink Pink is the color of a namesake flower that is a pale tint of red. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink is the color most often associated with charm, politeness, ...
said, in an online interview, "He is brilliant, and he's a thoughtful songwriter. And he's a song crafter . . . like old-school. He crafts songs and he thinks about them. And I learned a lot from working with him." In describing her co-writing with Wilson, Adele said, "Dan had me on my hands and knees, crying my eyes out - there's just something about him that made me completely open up as a composer."


''Taking the Long Way'' – The Dixie Chicks

Wilson co-wrote six of the songs on the
Dixie Chicks The Chicks (previously known as Dixie Chicks) are an American country music band from Dallas, Texas. Since 1995, the band has consisted of Natalie Maines (lead vocals, guitar) and sisters Martie Maguire (vocals, fiddle, mandolin, guitar) and E ...
multiple-Grammy-winning album ''
Taking the Long Way ''Taking the Long Way'' is the seventh studio album by American country music group Dixie Chicks. Released on May 23, 2006, through Columbia Nashville, it was also the group's last album released under the “Dixie Chicks” name. The album debut ...
'', including the title song and "
Not Ready to Make Nice "Not Ready to Make Nice" is a song co-written and performed by American country music trio Dixie Chicks. It was released in March 2006 as the first single from the band's seventh studio album, ''Taking the Long Way''. The Dixie Chicks wrote the s ...
", which earned Wilson and the Dixie Chicks the 2007 Grammy for Song of the Year. In the 2006 film '' Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing'', Wilson speaks on camera about his experience as a co-writer on this album, especially in regard to helping the Dixie Chicks make an artistic response to their rejection by radio and a large swath of their fans in the wake of the band's statements about President Bush and the
Iraq War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
. One of the songs he co-wrote for this album, "Easy Silence", appears on '' Free Life'', with Dixie Chicks singer
Natalie Maines Natalie Louise Maines (born October 14, 1974) is an American singer. She is the lead vocalist for the all-female country band The Chicks. In 1995, after leaving Berklee College of Music, Maines was recruited by the Dixie Chicks to replace their ...
singing harmonies.


''21'' – Adele

Wilson co-wrote three of the songs on
Adele Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (, ; born 5 May 1988), professionally known by the mononym Adele, is an English singer and songwriter. After graduating in arts from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele signed a reco ...
's multiple-Grammy-winning '' 21'', "Don't You Remember", "One and Only", and, most notably, " Someone Like You", which became a number one hit in the US, UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand was a top ten hit around the globe. As a producer of this track, on which he also played piano, Wilson shared in the 2012
Grammy Award for Album of the Year The Grammy Award for Album of the Year is presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regar ...
. In an interview with
American Songwriter ''American Songwriter'' is a bimonthly magazine covering songwriting. Established in 1984, it features interviews, songwriting tips, news, reviews and lyric contest. The magazine is based in Nashville, Tennessee. History The ''American Songwri ...
, Wilson recounted the writing and recording of "Someone Like You": :::The recording on the album was intended as a demo. I was thinking, "Oh, they're going to make a big version of this, strings and angelic choirs, like a big
Chrissie Hynde Christine Ellen Hynde (born September 7, 1951) is an American musician. She is a founding member and the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of the rock band the Pretenders, and one of the band's two remaining original members alon ...
power-ballad." But by the end of the first day, the demo was sounding lovely, and very affecting, but it was only half-written, there were no words on the second verse or the bridge as I remember. Adele came to the studio the next day and said, "I played it for my manager and me Mum." I was a little nervous about this because I don't like people to hear works-in-progress. I asked her what they thought of the song. "My manager loves it and me Mum cried." "Someone Like You" won the 2012 Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance, and as she accepted the award, Adele said, "I want to thank Dan Wilson, who wrote this song with me. My life changed when I wrote this song and I felt it before anyone even heard it." "Someone Like You" was the most downloaded single of all time in the UK and was voted third most favourite single of the last 60 years in the UK.


As a visual artist

Wilson's career as a painter, illustrator, and
calligrapher Calligraphy (from el, link=y, καλλιγραφία) is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instrument. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "t ...
is less widely known, but his artwork has often intersected with his music career. He was represented by Thomas Barry Fine Arts in Minneapolis, and his works are included in numerous private and corporate collections. Wilson's paintings are featured on the artwork for two of
Trip Shakespeare Trip Shakespeare was an American rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the late 1980s/early 1990s. The band included Dan Wilson and John Munson, who would later go on to be founding members of Semisonic. Origins The band originated wh ...
's albums, ''Are You Shakespearienced?'' and ''
Lulu Lulu may refer to: Companies * LuLu, an early automobile manufacturer * Lulu.com, an online e-books and print self-publishing platform, distributor, and retailer * Lulu Hypermarket, a retail chain in Asia * Lululemon Athletica or simply Lulu, a C ...
'', as well as on the cover of his first solo album, '' Free Life''. Wilson created all of the artwork for his 2014 album ''Love Without Fear''. Most notably, a hand illustrated 24-page hardcover Deluxe Album Book/CD. The package includes Wilson's own calligraphy, sketches, and handwritten lyrics for each song on the album. The official lyric videos for his singles from the album
"Disappearing"
and "A Song Can Be About Anything" are also made entirely from his own illustrations. At his "Words and Music by Dan Wilson" shows, audience members receive illuminated set lists that are hand illustrated by Wilson. One of these set lists was featured on
NPR National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...
's blog All Songs Considered. Wilson's calligraphy and illustrations are featured in his
Tumblr Tumblr (stylized as tumblr; pronounced "tumbler") is an American microblogging and social networking website founded by David Karp in 2007 and currently owned by Automattic. The service allows users to post multimedia and other content to a sho ...
series
"DW's Sketchbook"
and his musical cartoons have been featured in ''
The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
s Speakeasy Blog.


Personal life

Wilson is married to Diane Espaldon. Wilson and his wife were contemporaries at Harvard University, where he studied visual arts and she studied government. Wilson's wife subsequently earned a
M.A. A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...
from
School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University The School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University (SIPA) is the List of schools of international relations in the United States, international affairs and public policy school, public policy school of Columbia University, a pri ...
. Together, they have one biological daughter, Corazon ("Coco") (b. 1997), who was born prematurely and has disabilities and for whom " Closing Time" was written before her birth, and Lily (b. 2007), who was adopted at age two from the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
.


Discography


Singles

* 2022 "Dancing On The Moon" * 2022 "On The Floor" -
Perfume Genius Michael Alden Hadreas (born September 25, 1981), better known by his stage name Perfume Genius, is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. Hadreas's music explores topics including sexuality, his personal struggle with Crohn's disease, do ...
cover * 2021 "Under The Circumstances" * 2020 "Try Love" * 2020 "The Real Question" * 2020 "Red Light" * 2020 "Superfan" * 2020 "Eventually" * 2019 "Last December" * 2019 "Sunshine" * 2019 "Too Much ii" * 2019 "A Modest Proposal" * 2019 "The Rules" * 2019 "Fly Safe" * 2018 "Are You Lonely Tonight, Mrs. Claus?" * 2018 "Christmassy" * 2018 "Uncanny Valley" * 2018 "We Ain't Telling" * 2016 "Yoko" * 2015 "The Hottest Christmas Eve Ever" * 2013 "Disappearing"


Studio albums

* 2022 ''Dancing On The Moon EP'' * 2017 '' Re-Covered'' * 2014 ''Love Without Fear'' * 2008 ''Be Free EP'' digital release * 2007 '' Free Life''


Live albums

*2009 ''Dan Wilson Live at the Pantages'' – A 2-CD document of Dan Wilson's concert at Minneapolis' Pantages Theater on December 13, 2008. *2008 ''Live at the Electric Fetus'' *200
''DW Live @ the CCC''
*1998 ''Dan Wilson Live @ Bryant Lake Bowl''


with Semisonic

*2020 '' You're Not Alone'' (EP) *2018 ''Feeling Strangely Fine'' (20th Anniversary Reissue) *2003 ''One Night at First Avenue'' (live) *2001 ''
All About Chemistry ''All About Chemistry'' is the third and most recent studio album by American rock band Semisonic, released on March 13, 2001, through MCA Records. With this release, the band failed, at least in America, to capitalize on the momentum it had ge ...
'' *1998 '' Feeling Strangely Fine'' *1996 '' Great Divide'' *1995 '' Pleasure EP'' (EP) *1993 ''
Pleasure Pleasure refers to experience that feels good, that involves the enjoyment of something. It contrasts with pain or suffering, which are forms of feeling bad. It is closely related to value, desire and action: humans and other conscious anima ...
''


Dan and Matt Wilson

*201
''Dan & Matt Wilson Minneapolis 2013''
*201
''Dan & Matt Wilson Minneapolis 2010''


Trip Shakespeare

*1992 ''
Volt The volt (symbol: V) is the unit of electric potential, electric potential difference (voltage), and electromotive force in the International System of Units (SI). It is named after the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta (1745–1827). Defi ...
'' (EP) *1991 ''
Lulu Lulu may refer to: Companies * LuLu, an early automobile manufacturer * Lulu.com, an online e-books and print self-publishing platform, distributor, and retailer * Lulu Hypermarket, a retail chain in Asia * Lululemon Athletica or simply Lulu, a C ...
'' *1990 ''
Across the Universe "Across the Universe" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles. It was written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The song first appeared on the 1969 various artists' charity compilation album ''No One's Gonna Change Our W ...
'' *1989 '' Are You Shakespearienced?'' *1986 ''
Applehead Man ''Applehead Man'' is the debut studio album released by Minneapolis alternative rock band Trip Shakespeare. It was released in 1986 on Minneapolis label Gark Records, then reissued in 1998 on Minneapolis label Clean/Twin/Tone Records, and again ...
''


The Love Monsters

*1983 ''Kiss Away The Tears'' (7")


Film, TV, and Soundtracks (as a performer)

*2013 ''Absolutely Cuckoo: Minnesota Covers the 69 Love Songs'' – "The Things We Did and Didn't Do" *2011 ''Minnesota Remembers Vic Chesnutt'' – "Soft Picasso" *2010 '' Dear John Soundtrack'' – "You Take My Troubles Away" (with
Rachael Yamagata Rachael Yamagata (born September 23, 1977) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist from Arlington, Virginia. She began her musical career with the band Bumpus before becoming a solo artist and releasing five EPs and four studio albums. Her ...
) *2009 ''
All About Steve ''All About Steve'' is a 2009 American comedy film directed by Phil Traill and starring Sandra Bullock, Thomas Haden Church, and Bradley Cooper as the eponymous Steve. The film is the winner of two Golden Raspberry Awards and has a 6% approval ...
Soundtrack'' – "Sugar" *2006 ''
For New Orleans Musicians' Village is a neighborhood located in the Upper Ninth Ward in New Orleans, Louisiana. Musicians Harry Connick, Jr. and Branford Marsalis teamed up with Habitat for Humanity International and New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity to creat ...
'' – "I Can't Hold You" *2002 '' For the Kids'' – "Willie the King" *2002 ''
Maybe This Christmas ''Maybe This Christmas'' is a holiday compilation album released in November 2002 through Nettwerk Records featuring contemporary musicians performing both classic and original Christmas music, Christmas songs. The album, named by Ron Sexsmith, i ...
'' – "What a Year for a New Year" *2001 '' Summer Catch Soundtrack'' –
Semisonic Semisonic is an American rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1995, consisting of Dan Wilson (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), John Munson (bass, keyboards, backing vocals, guitar), and Jacob Slichter (drums, percussion, keyboards, ba ...
's "Over My Head" *1999 '' American Pie Soundtrack'' - "Good Morning Baby" *1999 '' Together in Concert: Live'',
Bic Runga Briolette Kah Bic Runga (born 13 January 1976), recording as Bic Runga, is a New Zealand singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist pop artist. Her first three studio albums debuted at number one on the Recording Industry Association of New Ze ...
Featuring Dan Wilson *1999 '' Friends Again Soundtrack'' – Semisonic's "Delicious" *1999 '' 10 Things I Hate About You Soundtrack'' – Semisonic's "FNT" *1999 ''
Never Been Kissed ''Never Been Kissed'' is a 1999 American romantic comedy film directed by Raja Gosnell and starring Drew Barrymore, Jessica Alba, David Arquette, Michael Vartan, Leelee Sobieski, Jeremy Jordan, Molly Shannon, Garry Marshall, John C. Reilly ...
Soundtrack'' – Semisonic's "Never You Mind" *1999 '' For the Love of the Game Soundtrack'' – Semisonic's "For the Love of the Game" *1996 ''The Long Kiss Goodnight Soundtrack'' – Semisonic's "FNT"


Film and Soundtracks (as a writer and producer)

*2019 ''Big Little Lies (TV series) Season 2 Soundtrack'' – "That Was Yesterday" (Leon Bridges) *2014 ''The Fault in Our Stars (film), The Fault In Our Stars Soundtrack'' – "Tee Shirt" and "Best Shot" (Birdy (singer), Birdy) *2013 ''Spark: A Burning Man Story Soundtrack'' – "We Ride" (
Missy Higgins Melissa Morrison Higgins (born 19 August 1983), known professionally as Missy Higgins, is an Australian singer-songwriter and musician. Her Australian number-one albums are ''The Sound of White'' (2004), ''On a Clear Night'' (2007) and ''The Ol ...
) *2013 ''Safe Haven (film), Safe Haven Soundtrack'' – "We Both Know" (Colbie Caillat & Gavin DeGraw) *2010 ''The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Soundtrack'' – "Ours" (The Bravery) *2010 ''The Kid Soundtrack'' – "Boy" (KT Tunstall)


Writing and producing credits


References


External links


Official websiteFull discography

Writing and producing creditsDW's Sketchbook
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, Dan 1961 births Living people Musicians from Minneapolis American session musicians American rock guitarists American male guitarists American rock songwriters American rock singers Grammy Award winners American country songwriters MCA Records artists Harvard College alumni Record producers from Minnesota Singer-songwriters from Minnesota Guitarists from Minnesota Semisonic members Trip Shakespeare members 20th-century American guitarists 20th-century American male musicians American male singer-songwriters