Steven Sharp Nelson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Steven Sharp Nelson
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Nelson in 2018
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | The Cello Guy |
| Born | July 5, 1977 Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S. |
| Genres | Classical, new-age |
| Occupation(s) | Cellist, composer |
| Instruments | Cello |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Associated acts | Jon Schmidt, The Piano Guys, Lindsey Stirling, Alex Boye, Lexi Walker |
Steven Sharp Nelson (born July 5, 1977) is an American cellist. He is famous as "The Cello Guy" from the popular music group The Piano Guys. With The Piano Guys, he has released many number-one albums and created dozens of music videos. Steven also has three solo albums of his own. He is known for being a pioneer in "cello-percussion." This is a special way of playing the cello that adds drumming sounds and plucking techniques to traditional cello playing.
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Steven Nelson's Early Life and Learning Music
Steven Sharp Nelson grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah. When he was seven, his dad wanted each of his children to learn an instrument invented before the 1800s. Steven first tried the violin, but he soon found his true passion for the cello.
He learned cello from great teachers like Kate Reeves and Ryan Selberg. Ryan Selberg was the main cellist for the Utah Symphony. Steven has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which sometimes made it hard for him to practice for a long time. So, he started trying other instruments like drums, guitar, and piano. This helped him find new and creative ways to play the cello. He began strumming it, hitting it, and plucking the strings in different ways using his thumb, fist, and fingernails. He also played with many types of music groups, including bands and orchestras.
Steven earned his bachelor's degree in music from the University of Utah in 2002. He later earned a master's degree in public administration from the same university in 2007.
Steven Nelson's Music Career
Steven Nelson first worked in real estate. But in his free time, he played the cello with local musicians. He played on stage and in recording studios. By 2006, he had played on over 100 music CDs made in his area. He worked with many pianists and a guitarist. At that time, he saw music as a hobby, not his main job.
In 1999, Steven signed with Stone Angel Music, a record label in Salt Lake City. His first solo album, Sacred Cello (2006), became one of the top 20 classical recordings on the Billboard charts. It also won an award for Best Instrumental Classical Album. He released two more solo albums: Tender Mercies (2008) and Christmas Cello (2010).
Joining The Piano Guys
Steven Nelson became a member of The Piano Guys in 2011. The group started when Paul Anderson, who owned a piano store, wanted to promote his store using social media. In 2009, Paul saw a YouTube video by local musician Jon Schmidt. The video showed Jon on piano and Steven on cello and kick drum. They played a mashup of Taylor Swift's "Love Story" and Coldplay's "Viva la Vida". This video got over one million views!
Paul Anderson then hired Jon and Steven to make more videos. He filmed them in cool and unusual places and uploaded them to his store's YouTube channel. Steven brought in his neighbor, Al van der Beek, who was a songwriter and music arranger. Tel Stewart helped with making the videos.
The Piano Guys became widely known with their video "Michael Meets Mozart" in 2011. Jon Schmidt asked his nearly 30,000 fans to watch and share it. This helped their videos become popular far beyond their local area. In the "Michael Meets Mozart" video, Steven played 100 cello tracks to create the amazing sound. Steven's videos "Cello Wars" (2011) and "Beethoven's 5 Secrets" (2012) quickly became number one on the YouTube charts.
The Piano Guys signed with Sony Masterworks in 2012. At that point, they all left their other jobs to focus on music full-time. The group has released eight albums that reached number one. As of July 2025, their YouTube channel has over 2.3 billion views and more than 7 million subscribers. Their most popular video is a cover of Christina Perri's A Thousand Years, with over 223 million views.
Steven Nelson's Musical Style
Steven Nelson plays many different kinds of music. These include classical, folk, new age, and inspirational styles. He is known for being a pioneer in "cello-percussion." This means he adds pizzicato (plucking strings) and drumming sounds to his traditional cello playing. He owns 41 cellos, and he says each one makes different sounds and has its own "personality." He also plays the kick drum.
He says that famous musicians like Yo-Yo Ma, Bobby McFerrin, and Victor Borge have influenced his music.
Steven Nelson's Personal Life
Steven Nelson is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As part of his faith, he served a mission in South Korea. He believes his music and tours help him share his beliefs. He often gives a copy of the Book of Mormon to someone on nearly every tour. He and the other members of The Piano Guys, who are also members of his church, pray together before every concert, recording, and video shoot.
Steven and his wife, Julie, have four children. They live in Salt Lake City. In 2017, he performed a duet with his daughter Lucy, who sang, in a music video for the One Voice Children's Choir. In 2018, he performed with his wife, who played violin, in a cover of "Rewrite the Stars".
Steven Nelson's Music Albums
Solo Albums
- Sacred Cello (2006)
- Tender Mercies (2008)
- Christmas Cello (2010)
The Piano Guys Albums
- 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)
See also
In Spanish: Steven Sharp Nelson para niños
