Brian West (musician)


Brian West is a Canadian record producer, songwriter, musician, engineer and mixer based in Los Angeles. He is a guitarist for the Canadian band The Philosopher Kings. Formerly of the production team Track and Field, he is best known for his work with Nelly Furtado, Maroon 5, Awolnation, K'naan, and Bono. He co-produced Andy Grammer's single "Honey, I'm Good" with Steve Greenberg and Nolan Sipe. His most recent release, "Salted Wound" sung by Sia is on the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack. He is based in Los Angeles. West has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Grammy Awards and has won seven Juno Awards.

Life and career

West began his career as the lead guitarist for Toronto-based band The Philosopher Kings in 1994. After achieving some commercial success in the late 1990s and winning a Canadian Juno Award with the group, he began to produce music for other artists, partnering up with Kings lead singer Gerald Eaton to produce Nelly Furtado's debut album, Whoa, Nelly! The project garnered a Grammy nomination for West's production and a win for Furtado, as well as several Juno Awards. Working as a production duo under the name Track and Field, together West and Eaton co-wrote and co-produced Furtado's follow-up album Folklore and two albums with Somali Canadian rapper K'Naan, landing themselves several more Junos. Before long West branched off into solo production, now producing and writing alongside such notable artists as Maroon 5, Awolnation, K'Naan, Nakia, and Bono.
His work has been featured on soundtracks for a number of films, including Fifty Shades of Grey: Salted Wound sung by Sia, , 20 Feet from Stardom, The Italian Job, Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, and Brokedown Palace, among others.

Selected discography

Awards and nominations

Grammy Awards
Latin Grammy Awards
Juno Awards
SOCAN Awards