Biographie
Brent David Fraser descends from 17th, 18th, and 19th-century Scottish, Dutch, and Austrian ancestors who settled in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. His family gained American recognition as builders, church reformers, Freemasons, businessmen, and industrialists. On his father's side, his roots lie deeply in the Highland Clan Fraser of Lovat and noble lineages. Born in Bremerton and raised in Bellingham, Fraser launched his career in 1985 as an actor and singer-songwriter within Seattle’s live theatre and music scenes. A childhood poet, he learned guitar, harmonica, piano, and violin, initially influenced by his mother's favorites: Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Jim Croce, and Jackson Browne. Over time, his musical tastes evolved through pop radio, hard rock, David Bowie, new wave, 80s glam, and Tom Waits.
After moving to Seattle, Fraser worked in professional theatre and busked at Pike Place Market. Though accepted to The North Carolina School of the Arts, he left within a year to return to Seattle, studying privately with Mark Jenkins and pursuing acting and music professionally. He frequently collaborated with The Group Theatre in productions such as William Mastrosimone’s "Tamer of Horses" and John DiFusco’s "Tracers." His breakthrough came with his first feature film role in Keith Gordon’s The Chocolate War, which caught the attention of Los Angeles and encouraged him to relocate there.
In L.A., Fraser secured starring roles in independent films including Jezebel's Kiss with Malcolm McDowell; Wild Orchid 2 alongside Nina Siemaszko and Tom Skerritt; The Dark Side of Genius featuring Seymour Cassel, Finola Hughes, and Moon Zappa; and The Little Death with Dwight Yoakam, J.T. Walsh, and Pamela Gidley. He appeared in David Lynch’s Wild at Heart with Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern, as well as New Line’s Book of Love with Chris Young and Josie Bissett. His versatile talents shone as “Jed,” a socially awkward criminal drug chemist in the gritty Broken Vessels, for which he co-wrote much of the music and score with Martin Blasick. He also starred in Tall as Trees, a Filipino-American film shot in Manila, alongside Chin Chin Gutierrez and Monsour Del Rosario.
Fraser’s television credits include Fox’s The Tracy Ullman Show, NBC’s Dark Skies (portraying Jim Morrison), and Showtime’s The Outer Limits. MGM/Trilogy created a recurring character for him on Fame-L.A., combining his acting and singing abilities; several of his original songs featured on the show and its Mercury Records compilation CD. Throughout his career, Fraser has had numerous opportunities to place his songs in TV and film productions, whether he acted in them or not.
He has recorded with artists such as Warren Zevon and Don Henley’s band through manager/producer Andrew Slater, and global producer/musician Corrado Rustici (known for work with Aretha Franklin, Cyndi Lauper, Elton John, Sting, Bono, and Pavarotti). Fraser co-wrote three songs with Rustici and Italian artist Elisa Tofoli for her album Pipes and Flowers. After development deals with Randy Jackson at Sony and Lou Maglia at Zoo Records, Santa Monica’s Motion City Records signed him following a return to his acoustic coffeehouse roots. There, he hoped to produce an album true to his artistic vision. He co-wrote five songs with Tim Schools and Joey Molland of Badfinger.
His concept album, Albion Moonlight and the Sea of Troubles, produced by Martin Blasick under Motion City Records, blends poetry, theatricality, and his diverse influences. The album tells a mythical story of a young man overcoming losses imposed by mental illness centered in the ego and mind—a narrative of redemption and love. Legendary producer Jack Douglas (Aerosmith, Cheap Trick, John Lennon), impressed by the album, called Fraser one of the finest songwriters since Lennon and expressed interest in recording a follow-up with him.
Deeply connected to his Scottish heritage, Fraser is a lifetime member of the California-based Clan Fraser Association, founded in 1961, and a Fellow in good standing of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. He also studies Gaelic and Hebrew. Splitting his time between Bellingham, WA, and Laguna Beach, he is currently editing his autobiographical novel, My Highland Heart, while frequently performing as a singer-songwriter. Fraser is actively involved in the Orange County Commission for the Administration of Justice, established in 1968 by Robert W. Fraser—a Marine veteran of WWII and Korea, a 60-year attorney in California and Montana, and the surrogate father who raised Brent in the Fraser and Noble Scottish traditions, instructing him in legal arts using Black’s Law volumes.
He owns and operates A Mhòr-fhaiche PR, Inc., a company dedicated to forming and promoting nonprofits, religious corporations, and startup ventures aimed at benefiting society and reducing suffering. Fraser serves as Executor of Charitable Causes and Receiver for Sacramental Life Churches, Inc., the parent organization of a growing network of spiritually motivated cannabis churches and healing outreach centers. His life is devoted to helping others with kindness and compassion.
