Minnesota's Dan Wilson Secures His First Oscar Nomination

Dan Wilson, the St. Louis Park, Minnesota native known for the hit "Closing Time," has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song. Wilson contributed his songwriting and production talents to the track "It Never Went Away," featured in Jon Batiste's documentary, "American Symphony" which streams on Netflix.

In a show of excitement and disbelief, Wilson took to Instagram, noting this nomination as a huge surprise and a magical outcome of his collaboration with Jon Batiste. Known primarily for his work with his former band, Semisonic, and the Grammy-nominated rock ballad, "Closing Time," Wilson's musical journey has now ascended to a whole new height with this Oscar nod.

Wilson's path in music began in 1987 after joining his brother's band, Trip Shakespeare, which disbanded after producing several albums. By 1993, he formed Semisonic and earned international success with "Closing Time." Despite Semisonic stopping their tours in 2001, they never fully disappeared from the music scene and made a comeback with fresh material after two decades.

Beyond his band, Wilson has flourished in the industry through various collaborations. Moving to Los Angeles, he has co-written and produced for acclaimed artists like Taylor Swift and Adele, garnishing both Grammy awards and nominations. His work includes the Song of the Year "Not Ready to Make Nice" with the Dixie Chicks and the Album of the Year for Adele's "21."

Jon Batiste, a distinguished musician with a history of Grammy wins and an Oscar for best original score for "Soul," alongside Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, celebrates Wilson's nomination for their collaboration.

The 96th Academy Awards will bring together the finest in film and music, with the event broadcasting live, offering Wilson the chance to add an Oscar to his collection of accolades.

Oscar, nomination, songwriter