The Sounds of Spider Cherry

SPRING 2019 (Florida Coast Magazine) – There is something special about live music that brings people together. It allows us to unwind a bit and enjoy the good times. Fortunately for those of us living in South Florida, there is no shortage of local venues to catch amazing talent on any given night of the week.

Originally from Shepard’s Bush, London, Nathan Mercado began his musical journey when he was just five years old. “I have always had a creative mind,” says Mercado. He originally started singing and playing the piano before eventually experimenting with other instruments as well. Nowadays, you can catch Mercado playing the melody on an 88 keyboard in front of him while playing another 49 keyboard to his left for the bass lines for quite an impressive look while singing.

Mercado’s mother and father both enjoyed the piano when he was young, so it seems as though the keyboard was a part of their son’s destiny from the beginning. Several artists who have had an impact on Nathan’s creativity and musical style include, but are not limited to Ray Charles, Queen, Led Zeppelin, Nina Simone, and Michael Jackson. When you hear Spider Cherry perform, you get a sense of Mercado’s eclectic taste in music. He states, “I tend to like music that is more organic than processed; more of the classics as opposed to the newer generation. I know how to take music and make it my own. I think it is distinctive and original, yet still feels familiar.”

Mercado moved to the United States four years ago and chose to settle in South Florida almost immediately. He explains, “I love the small town vibe here. I’ve lived in metropolitan areas in the past. The things that can get to you when you are living in a city don’t tend to bother you as much in a beach town.” He mostly performs at a number of venues in Palm Beach and Broward counties (as well as around the United States), with Delray Beach being his favorite place to reside these days.

Whether performing solo or with other band members, Spider Cherry is the name Mercado chose for his performances and personal projects. “I like to be theatrical with my music,” he says. “It’s like I’m weaving music for the crowd. I try to fuse different sounds to bring something unique for people to enjoy!”

In his off time, Mercado enjoys playing tennis and watching soccer (he is a lifelong Arsenal fan). Mercado explains, “I like socializing and making people happy. I always try to keep a positive attitude. I don’t believe in negative vibes. I relate life to stress and to want for nothing. I live life most of the time as a cup-half-full kind of guy with a passionate desire to achieve more as I believe drive is important in building character.”

Music has allowed Mercado to see the world and even perform for the military on multiple occasions. “I have played for the troops in a number of countries. Hearing their stories is amazing and being able to give back to them is great.” A trip to Bosnia after its civil war in the nineties influenced him to compose several songs.

“Currently, I have a song called ‘Carol’ up on the Spider Cherry website and I will be adding new tunes to the site as well as offering my CDs at shows. I am experimenting with different musicians and producers, writing new songs, and working on a massive back catalogue of unheard material with an old but new and exciting sound for everyone to enjoy, so stay tuned! I will have more stuff out this year.” Mercado is working on a tour in the near future to focus on his original material.