Bernie's early education gave him a typical exposure to music.  It was a 4th Grade teacher who encouraged him to enter the Talent Show, singing a few of the period’s greatest hits that set him off on his musical journey.

Launched at the same time as the first Crosby, Still and Nash album, the Coffee Houses his high school conducted created a fertile incubator for both performers and aspiring songwriters.  As often happens with musicians, one band followed another for Bernie, from  school, college and fraternity gigs, and clubs.  He saw a lot of the Rocky Mountain states, and then, a musical relocation to the Seattle area in 1974, sent him all over the Northwest as well.

Bernie has continued to perform over the next several decades as a solo act, often including his originals in with several dozen covers. Through all these experiences, vocal harmonies and sophisticated arrangements, became signature elements of Bernie's songs.  In addition to his songwriting craft, he has worked diligently to develop his production skills. 

Bernie has focused his writing on the subject of relationships – won, lost, botched, harpooned, celebrated. 

Bernie has released three album projects – Alter Ego in 2002, From A Dream in 2017, and most recently, the 5-song EP “Are You Ready?” (2024).  

Alter Ego features a cast of Portland’s top musicians and a richly-arranged pop vocal style with memorable hooks inside a wrapper of jazz-flavored performances.  Of Alter-Ego, KINK FM’s Kevin Welch wrote “Steely Dan meets Everything But The Girl.”

The 2017 release of “From A Dream” was written, recorded and produced by Bernie and mixed and mastered by renowned Portland recording engineer Doug Durbrow.

2024’s EP “Are You Ready?” delivers 5 new songs with the standout tune “AfterTimes” leading it off.  Among the many other interesting musical motifs, the inclusion of Paul Levine’s rap in the song’s breakdown provides a refreshing texture, while complementing the story.  This romp of a tune provides the EP’s title, straight from the refrain “Are You Ready – for what’s next?”.  Anyone alive on the planet will catch the song’s drift – that one, massive, shared experience we all went through together starting in 2020 ...

Bernie worked closely with award-winning, A-List producer/  engineer/ songwriter/ composer/ musician Gary Gray in creating “Are You Ready?”.    

Bernie performs solo in casual settings, farmers markets, house concerts and at festivals and other venues, often with backing tracks from his studio recordings, “so the whole band shows up”.  As we all re-experience "Community" and seek to spend time together, live music provides a perfect opportunity for that.  It also provides a joyous and healing environment.  Bernie designs his performances in a way that includes both the full sound of his recordings, along with the intimate delivery of his vocals and guitar work.

All of Bernie’s recordings are available at his website: berniesimsmusic.com.  He encourages you to contact him at bernie@ berniesimsmusic.com.

Bernie is available for performances, large and small, so please don’t hesitate to inquire about his interest and availability to entertain for you.