Black History Month Spotlight: Daniel Fears

Michael Minasi / KUTX

Daniel Fears was raised in Houston, Texas. The multi-instrumentalist and singer grew up attending Lakewood Church in Houston where his mom was the music director. By age 11 he was playing the trombone in his school band and then after moving to a smaller church, he played the piano and even took up the drums and began playing for church service every week until he was 18.

 During this time he was introduced to classical music by his teacher Brian Logan, a trombone player who played with the Houston Symphony and was a contractor for the local churches. That teacher not only introduced Fears to a whole new world of music but he even helped him get into the University of Texas. After graduating, Fears was convinced to write a horns part for a friend’s song and found the experience liberating.  

Fears would go on to attend Yale for his master’s with the goal of pursuing a career in classical music. During his time at Yale, he was sidelined by a lip injury and he decided to put his classical music career on hold and to instead relearn his instrument and start gigging for friends in Austin – collaborating with bands like Wild Child and Leyline. He slowly began to create working on his music daily until he began to work with music producer Moses Elias which lead to a 6 song EP that was recorded and released during the pandemic called Canopy. Which included his hit Windows.

Since then Fears has released the singles “Keep On” and “No Gravity”. Daniel Fears was KUTX’s artist of the month in July of 2021 and in 2022 his work earned him a  Sonic Guild Grant (formerly known as black fret). Daniel Fears continues to trailblaze his own lane all while thriving and creating and supporting other musicians in his community. 

Black History Month Spotlight: Daniel Fears

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