Brian Ernst

Walking the path of the artist means walking the path of the people.

Brian Ernst (Lenape) is a world-traveling, live-looping musician originally from the Ohio River Valley. He just released a new record/film, Songs in the Key of Freedom, which is the 8th album of his 18-year career. It was born from years spent living and touring in Africa, from months working in refugee camps in Greece and Türkiye (where he served families fleeing war in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria), and from holding the line at Standing Rock in 2016. His music is a reflection of his world travels.

Known for his dynamic live-looping performances, Ernst plays multiple instruments on stage. He live loops acoustic guitar, bass, beatboxing, vocal harmonies, and percussion (which includes a chain), along with didgeridoos — and brings enough passion and soul to take he and his family across 50 states and 37 countries. He toured in buses powered by waste vegetable oil, sold over 20,000 albums, and shared videos that have accumulated more than 1.6 million views. He embraces a grassroots approach to music and community building, and it continues to grow.

Ernst is a proud citizen of the Delaware Tribe of Indians (Lenni-Lenape, Turtle Clan). He advocates for federal Indian law reform as well as constitutionally protected treaties. Brian and his wife, Katie, co-founded Journey4 Youth, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (NGO) that works with the Luo Tribe in Kenya. Since 2010, they have raised over $200,000 for education scholarships and clean water initiatives.