Biography: Born in Inverness-shire, Scotland, Brent David Fraser's first forays into entertainment were as a child fiddle player and singer, performing traditional Scottish Highland country music. His family moved to Paris, France, when he was still young, and he became an opera singer in the chorus of L'Opera De Paris. He went on to perform in touring operas around the world, and entered the US for the firs ... show all Born in Inverness-shire, Scotland, Brent David Fraser's first forays into entertainment were as a child fiddle player and singer, performing traditional Scottish Highland country music. His family moved to Paris, France, when he was still young, and he became an opera singer in the chorus of L'Opera De Paris. He went on to perform in touring operas around the world, and entered the US for the first time at Bremerton, Washington, having crossed the Pacific Ocean on a boat from Japan. He was naturalized a US citizen there as well. The family lived mostly in Bellingham, just north of Bremerton, an dhe loves to revisit the northwestern Washington area, which is much like the Scotland of his boyhood. His teacher/mother filled their home with appreciation for music, literature, poetry and art. Studying painting and poetry in elementary school, he was sure he would grow to be a writer or painter. In his teens he taught himself guitar, piano and harmonica and dabbled with a few other instruments. It was then he began to put his poetry to melody. His first influences were Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson , Jim Croce and Don McLean . His tastes eventually grew to include everything from pop radio to hard rock to campy glam to punk to to new wave to Tom Waits. He immersed himself in everything. He moved once more before his high school senior year. With a Mohawk and thrift store image, the only safe place at his new school was the drama club, and he developed the idea of combining music, theater and imaging. At 17 he began working in semi-professional theater in Seattle and singing his songs at Seattle's Pike Place Market as a street musician. Craving more training, he auditioned for and was accepted at the North Carolina School of the Arts. He formed a group of renegade students that many of the faculty dubbed a "cult" because of their rebellion against the school's structure. All concerned agreed that it would be best for him to leave, but he still remembers that time and the school fondly. Back in Seattle he began working immediately as a professional actor. He got a couple of great roles, in William Mastrosimone's "Tamer of Horses" he received rave reviews. He soon landed parts in a several films that were being shot in Seattle that got him noticed in L.A., so he moved south. He picked up parts in a string of indy features and TV shows. He has now been acting and performing as a singer/songwriter in L.A. for over a decade, most recently in Garrett Bennett's "Farewell to Harry", Matthew Leutwyler's "Dead & Breakfast", "The Memory Thief" by Gil Kofman and "Tall As Trees" by Gil Ponce. Fraser has been backed musically by Don Henley 's band and Warren Zevon, written with 'Corrado Rusticci' and Elisa Tofoli and fronted Kenny Wayne Shepherd's band. He produced his CD "Albion Moonlight and the Sea of Troubles" with Martin Blasick of Motion City Records, a concept album telling a mythical story, using poetry, soundscapes and songs. He formed a band called AWE with late world-renowned guitar player Derek Frigo, but the band was disbanded after Derek's untimely death. He divides his time between his family's ranch near San Juan Capistrano and a residence in Los Angeles. He has most recently completed a novel and screenplay about his adventurous and extreme life before and after Hollywood. Sometimes, using just his last name, Fraser, he welcomes the fact that people mistake him for a supermodel. He is anticipating the release of "The Memory Thief (2007)". A little known fact about Fraser is that he often wears the clothing of his Scottish clan "The Clan Fraser of Lovat" around town, including the kilt, sporran, etc. He regularly attends Highland clan games and gatherings held by the now over-40-year-old "Clan Fraser Association For California", which his family established in 1964. He is also a proud Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. Fraser has also been an avid breakdancer since his teens, way before it started to be cool again. hide |
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