Nancy Wenstrom
NancyWenstrom... is a hot blues lead guitarist, vocalist and songwriter from the San Francisco Bay Area. She is a well-respected veteran rock musician and a pioneer in the field of women rock guitarists, having over 40 years experience in the business. She does it all and does it well, and is truly an original in the field of rockin’ blues performers. Nancy's newest album release (2021) is called Inside Story. It includes 10 original songs recorded in San Francisco by J Jaffe (Huey Lewis, Ringo Starr, Shery Crow).
Born in Houston Texas, Nancy grew up as an “Air Force brat” living in the Azores, Nebraska, California, Washington D.C. and Alabama before moving back to the Bay Area to go to UC Berkeley. Her somewhat nomadic youth has proven to be a source of inspiration for her singer songwriter portfolio, which resonates with the American culture of her early upbringing.
She started studying the piano at age 8 and the guitar at 12 and has been a professional musician in the SF Bay Area for most of her adult life performing, touring and recording.
Her all-female rock band Tommie was/is one of the first of it's kind performing her original music throughout the San Francisco Bay Area in 1984-1984. She was the lead guitarist with the Zasu Pitts Memorial Orchestra, (13 Souls Out Of Control/Hubbub Records) a premiere 14-piece R&B band out of San Francisco which was a local favorite selling out many clubs and playing parties for the early Silicon Valley corporate giants. Her unique talent as a female lead guitarist has seen her on the stage rocking with such Bay Area greats as the Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir, Chris Isaak, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Norton Buffalo, Maria Muldaur, Mark Hummel, Lydia Pense, Linda Tillery and opening for such acts asHuey Lewis, Joe Cocker and Elvin Bishop toname a few. Nancy is also a well-respected song-writer having written for such people as Marty Balin ofJefferson Starship (Rock Justice, EMI records) and Zakiya Hookerwho recorded Nancy’s song Angel of the Blues (Next Generation of the Blues).
She has recorded 8 idependent albums showcasing her original material and her accomplished vocals and versatile guitar playing. Her albums include Inside Story, Nancy Wenstrom Live at the Saloon, Nancy Wenstrom, Apollo Duo, Blues Kitchen, Come In To Christmas, The Dagwood Blondies- Deci-Belles, and A Centerville Christmas w/ Brad Catania. (see NW Albums page streaming music)
Besides her own band she is also seen playing with Jazzphoria (Jean Fineberg's jazz fusion album to be released 2021), The Montclair Women's Big Band, Angel From Montgomery (Bonnie Raitt Tribute), The Zasu Pitts Memorial Orchestra, and The Fabulous Cruisetones along with various other bands, duos and projects.
Follow on Spotify, Apple Music, Nancy Wenstrom YouTube channel, and Facebook Nancy Wenstrom Music page.