John Nilsen, one of the premier piano players in the Pacific Northwest who was recently inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame, is heading to Gold Hill and Talent for two performances in April. 

To celebrate his induction, the musician will bring his compositions to the Rogue Valley before heading on tour to Europe.  

“It’s great to be coming down there; I started my career and spent 16 years there,” Nilsen, currently a Portland-based artist, said of Southern Oregon. 

He will be playing the first concert at 7 p.m. Friday, April 11, at Gold Hill’s United Methodist Church, 416 Dardanelles St., and it will be free to attend with donations gladly accepted. 

Nilsen’s second concert will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 12, at Paschal Winery, 1122 Suncrest Road, in Talent. Tickets are $20 per person at the door. 

Born in Seattle and a Portland resident since he was a kid, Nilsen began studying piano at the age of 6, also learning to play guitar at age 12. He graduated from Southern Oregon University with a bachelor’s degree in the arts and owns the Magic Wing record label. 

The artist weaves many musical styles into his playing, blending elements of jazz, folk and rock in his originals while adding classic tunes into his repertoire. 

Nilsen has recorded 22 albums, sold well over one million copies and has performed in all 50 U.S. states as well as across four continents. 

The pianist and singer-songwriter said he brings an impromptu style to his performances — mixing in a range of newly-written tunes and older originals. 

“I don’t think I’ve made a setlist for 30 or 40 years … I trust my instincts when I start playing and performing gigs,” Nilsen said. “You check on the vibe and get a pulse of the people and I always make it up as a go along; that being said, I know my songs and the repertoire.” 

In October 2024, Nilsen received the honor of being inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame. 

“It’s a great honor, and it reminds me that I’ve been given an opportunity by a lot of people for many decades to perform and to share my music, and for those things you have to be really grateful,” he said. “It’s an honor to be recognized and an indicator that it’s gone well, and I’m lucky and fortunate, but it never was the goal; the goal has to be music.” 

Following Nilsen’s Rogue Valley shows, he will head out on his European piano tour, which starts in late April. 

Performances are scheduled in France, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland. Cities include bustling Paris to the mountain resort town of Zermatt, Switzerland. 

“It’ll be fun; I remember my first time in Europe when I was 20 and it was such an epic trip. Going back and performing in some of those towns since that first trip — and I haven’t been back since — will be so cool,” Nilsen said. 

A particular show the musician is excited for is playing at Zermatt. 

“It’s a super quant Swiss village in the Alps,” he said. 

Beyond his upcoming performances, Nilsen is recording and mixing his latest album, set to come out this summer.

“It’s a cool process with any group of songs turning into an album, and this is no different … it’s a brand-new group of tunes, and every song is different from the last or the next one,” he said. “To me, it’s all about being relevant

“I have no interest in going out and playing old songs. I’ve done that; for me, it’s all about exploring and pushing ahead and breaking new ground, and without that you get stagnant,” he said.

To learn more about Nilsen, his upcoming shows, his upcoming album or other information, visit johnnilsen.com. 

Reach reporter James Sloan at jsloan@rv-times.com.