About

Ernie grew up immersed in a flourishing jam scene in Connecticut. Since then, he has lived in Brooklyn, Honolulu, Dallas, and is currently based in Nashville.

He began playing guitar at twelve years old, after being captivated by a Chuck Berry cassette tape in his grandmother’s Cadillac. Ernie’s grandfather, Ernest Nickols, was a prolific storyteller who inspired a young Ernie to write songs. One of his earliest tales was a white lie he told, claiming he had written Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon.” By the time Ernie discovered that his grandfather was not a world-famous songwriter, but rather a prankster, it was too late—Ernie was already hooked on songwriting and continued to write for years.

Over time, Ernie kept these songs reserved for late-night jam sessions, stashing them away in his iPhone voice notes. With the support of his partner Abaigeal, he was able to quit drinking and overcome his fear of recording and releasing his music. In 2023, they moved to Nashville, and now, Ernie is off to the races.