Profile of a Producer

He doesn’t tell this to everyone, but he was there the night Graceland almost burned to the ground. He is an unsung hero to many in Southern gospel music. Mark Trammell of the Mark Trammell Quartet, Gold City, the Cathedrals, and his wife Laresa love him so much they named their son Nicholas in his honor. They used words like “incredible musician,” “steady Christian,” and “amazing talent” to describe him. He’s been nominated for a Dove Award, and Squire Parsons credits him as one of the reasons his solo career took off. He’s the producer responsible for giving the world of Southern gospel music such hits as “Love Was in the Room” by the Booth Brothers, “Excuses” and “Shake Hands with a Poor Boy” by the
Kingsmen, “Sweet Beulah Land” by Squire Parsons, and “I Found the Lily in My Valley” by Quinton Mills to name just a few. The late Eldridge Fox of the Kingsmen says, “He is an exceptional talent and an exceptional young man.”
Mention Nick Bruno’s name in a room full of gospel music artists, and the consensus will be, “He’s just a nice guy. A talented, nice guy who doesn’t push himself first.” Nick is a “southern” boy, having grown up in Staten Island, NY, the most southern part of that northern state. His grandfather and father were both pastors, so Nick spent his childhood in and around the church. His love for the Lord and his passion for music grew as he did, and while all his friends were hopping to the beat of the Four Seasons and the Beatles, he loved the Blackwood Brothers and the Couriers. Naturally, his heart always leaned toward ministry, and it was with the ministry in mind that he set off for Bible college in the early 1960s. As a teenage member of the Keystone Quartet, his life in the industry began.
The Keystone Quartet Clockwise from top: Joe Bonsall, Ron Kelly, Nick Bruno, and Richard Sturben.
Nick and another member of that group, Richard Sterban (now of the Oak Ridge Boys), became members of the Eastman Quartet and then re-organized the Keystone Quartet, hiring Joe Bonsall (of the Oak Ridge Boys) and Dave Will (of the Imperials) to their first full-time singing jobs. Nick’s talent as a piano player and arranger brought him invitations from many groups. He’s been a member of the Rebels with Jim Hamill, Ron, and Charles Booth. He was a charter member of Coy Cook and the Senators, along with Dave Rowland (later known as the “Dave” of Dave & Sugar), Calvin Runion, and the late Mack Evans.
Near the beginning of the 1970s, Nick was a pianist for Coy Cook and the Senators.
(L to R is Bill Baize, Richard Sterban, Donnie Sumner, Elvis, JD Sumner, Ed Enoch & Nick Bruno.)
His fantastic talent did not escape the eye of JD Sumner, who called Nick in the early 70s to join the Stamps Quartet. JD immediately recognized Nick’s abilities and encouraged him to get involved with producing and arranging vocals for the Stamps. Here, Nick realized he loved being in a studio just as much as performing.
At that time, the Stamps were also the backup singers for Elvis, and Nick was right there the night the now-famous “Fire at Graceland” occurred. He says, “Elvis was a little boy at heart and was at Graceland and playing war by shooting Roman candles at one another. Nick was on the golf cart with Elvis, and he recalls that one of them (he won’t say who) shot a Roman Candle close to the house, and it caught the house on fire. He says, “Within minutes, the place was surrounded by police and fire trucks. It was a sight to see.” The next day, the story was reported around the world; however, according to Nick, not consistently accurate.
(L to R is Jim Hamill, Nick Bruno, Johnny Parrack, Jim McCauley, Ray Dean Reese, Gary Dillard, and Eldridge Fox.)
Another great in the world of music was the late Marvin Norcross. Nick had an excellent relationship with Marvin, who used Nick as a pianist for Canaan’s recording project orchestration. On such a project for Governor Jimmie Davis, Marvin Norcross passed away. Nick recalls, “We had finished about half of the album and decided to quit for the day and complete the tracks the next day. I was sitting at home when the call came that Marvin had passed away in his hotel room. It was quite a shock. Marvin was a wonderful person.” Nick is thankful for what he learned from Marvin.
Long before any significant artist is born into the world of gospel music, there is a producer behind the scenes finding the right music and arranging it so that the artist’s talent is showcased. A good producer is hard to find, but a producer who considers his role as part of God’s plan to advance His kingdom is a rare gift from God indeed.
His success with and for the Stamps was very noticeable in the industry, and in 1972, he received an invitation to join the Kingsmen, and he accepted their offer. Almost immediately, they put him to work as their very own producer.
Nick says, “Being around such great singers as Jim Hamill, Johnny Parrick, Squire Parsons, Eldridge Fox, and Ray Dean Reese made me realize there was a real ministry in producing an album for these men. Long after the concert ends, a well-produced album can continue ministering to people for years to come in homes and on the radio.” Nick adds, “I began to see the ministry producing not just the technical end of it.”
When asked about Nick Bruno, Eldridge Fox’s immediate response was, “He produced and arranged the biggest-selling album we’ve ever had. He arranged it; he wrote it. What does that tell you about his talent as a producer? He’s one of the finest musicians in the industry today.” Squire Parsons adds, “The brilliance and sensitivity of Nick Bruno was one of the key factors in launching my solo career.”
By 1973 Nick was a part of the Ton of Fun, the Kingsmen.
Nick’s abilities as a producer and arranger are well known in gospel music circles, but recently, news of his talent was the talk of Branson, MO. For a while, Nick worked in Branson as a music director for some of the largest theaters in town. He worked with greats like Christy Lane, Anita Bryant, Ferlin Husky, the Texans, and many great Grand Ole Opry Stars. He says, “I spent five years working with many great secular artists. At the time, it was not clear why the Lord allowed me to do this, but now I realize that I had much to learn about music and the industry.” It wasn’t long before he missed the ministry of producing for gospel groups, and he and his wife, Cece, returned to Nashville, TN, where they now reside.