Nick Hilscher is a first-rate singer of the American Songbook. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, he began his professional career in his teens, playing piano and singing in the Atlanta area.
His early musical influences were Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Frank Sinatra, Glenn Miller, and Tommy Dorsey. A piano student of Atlanta’s Harris Wheeler, Nick was encouraged to pursue music professionally.
Nick continued his studies in college under the tutelage of Donald Sanders at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. During this time he was awarded runner-up in the 1997 Alabama Collegiate Artists Piano Competition. He graduated from Samford University in the spring of 2000 with a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance.
In 1998, Nick became the featured male vocalist with the Glenn Miller Orchestra. He worked with the Glenn Miller Orchestra for one year, taking a year off from college, and then returned to school to finish his degree. After earning his degree in 2000, Nick returned to his singing post with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, performing an average of 300 shows a year in venues like the Hollywood Bowl and New York City’s Birdland.
His touring has taken him to all fifty United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, South America, and Japan.
During this period, Nick had the pleasure of working with trombone great and musical director for the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Larry O’Brien. Nick is featured on several albums with the Glenn Miller Orchestra: On The Air (2002) and Steppin’ Out )2005).
In 2002, Nick recorded his first solo album entitled Nick Hilscher Sings with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, produced by Charlie Bertini of Orlando, FL (www.applejazz.com), and engineered by Freddie Breitberg of Chicago, IL. This recording features original big band arrangements written by Raleigh Dailey, Paul Ferguson, Mike Kamuf, Tony Migliore, Jeffrey Steinberg, and Dave Wolpe.
Nick worked with the Glenn Miller Orchestra until February 2005. Since that time, he has been performing solo acts as well as small tours as a featured artist with various bands.
In 2005, Nick was the featured vocalist for a 100th-birthday celebration of Tommy Dorsey with the Julliard Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Victor Goines. During the same year he was the featured vocalist with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra on a cruise celebrating Tommy Dorsey’s 100th birthday, and continued in that role working closely with the legendary Buddy Morrow.
Buddy, who directed the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra from 1977-2010, served as a great encouragement and mentor to Nick, bringing out the best in Nick’s performances and musicianship. Nick was chosen to carry on as director of the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra after Buddy’s passing.
In April 2010, Nick released his newest solo album with big band, Young and Foolish. The album features the music of Hank Williams, Sr., Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Roger Miller, Nat “King” Cole, and Cole Porter. All of the music on this recording is arranged and orchestrated by Nick.
Nick’s first performance as music director of the Glenn Miller Orchestra was on January 12, 2012.
