Mel Bryant & the Mercy Makers is a Nashville based indie rock band comprised of lovers and friends. Led by bassist and songwriter Mel Bryant, their screaming guitars are met with a unique feminine energy that is equal parts powerful and sensitive, groovy and grungy, memorable and true. The four musicians live in a house together in East Nashville where they run their own recording studio, Electric Church Records, and work as the backing band for various local artists while performing their own original music all over Nashville, nearby cities, as well as in Miami and New York. They are currently self producing their debut album  which raised over $3,100 via preorder on Kickstarter and will be released in Summer 2019 with a tour to follow. Their debut single, In My Head, can be heard on all major streaming platforms.


Mel Bryant uses the gift of rock music to promote thoughtfulness, respect, justice and love throughout the human community. Combining poignant, bold lyricism with folk and blues guitar stylings, her songs seek to challenge apathy and shine a light on complex issues like anxiety, women’s rights, oppression, political partisanship and the pain of love and loss. She has performed her original music at the GroundUp music festival (the brainchild of Snarky Puppy’s label), the Okeechobee Music Festival (performing her own music and performing alongside members of Snarky Puppy, Vulfpeck and Michael McDonald), and the Sundance Film Festival, at the ASCAP Music Cafe. She was just announced the winner of the NewSong Songwriting Competition in 2018. Utilizing her degree in composition and production from the University of Miami Frost School of Music, she co-founded Electric Church Records with Conor McCarthy, managing the booking, content creation and assists in engineering for sessions.

Conor McCarthy is a guitarist, producer, and multi-instrumentalist who is often found recording powerful drum sounds and geeking out over studio gear. He is co-owner and head engineer of Electric Church Records, and his passion for classic rock, incredible guitar tones and Duane Allman is matched only by his passion for a good sounding mix.

Aaron John is a guitarist and songwriter who lends his reverb-laden rhythm guitar as well as his sultry vocal harmonies and production prowess to the music of the Mercy Makers. A fantastic songwriter in his own right, he also performs his own music around Nashville, breaking hearts everywhere he plays.

Brendan Bird is the earth shattering force that propels the beat of the mercy makers with power and and precision. A graduate of the Berklee College of Music, Brendan’s drumming style combines the classic, hard-hitting style of old rock greats such as John Bonham with the finesse and creativity of newer fusion drummers with influences from jazz and latin rhythms.