Dax Pierson's Obituary
Dax Wentworth Pierson
August 2, 1970 – December 30, 2024
Dax Wentworth Pierson, a talented musician and producer, and an inspiring figure, transitioned on December 30, 2024, at the age of 54. Born on August 2, 1970, to Herman Wentworth and Myrna Hardy Pierson in LaPuente, California. At a young age, Dax began his journey to orchestrate a life of music, dance and the arts. Dax faced life's challenges with a remarkable spirit, creativity, and resilience that touched the hearts of many.
Despite becoming a quadriplegic in 2005, Dax never allowed his circumstances to define him largely in part due to his loving partner, Charles “Chuck” Nanney. In a recent SFGate.com article Chuck stated, “It was love at first sight.” In 2008, Chuck moved to Oakland and cared for Dax’s heart and body. Chuck would become Dax’s love of his life, his caretaker, his healthcare advocate and shared his love of music and the arts with Dax. The couple’s love allowed Dax to channel his energy and passion into music, becoming a celebrated singer-songwriter and music producer known for his soulful melodies and poignant lyrics. His music resonated with audiences, celebrating themes of love, hope and perseverance. He often referred to life after his spinal cord injury as his REBIRTH.
Dax grew up in the San Diego indie music scene of the early 1990s and played keys and autoharp, as well as sang back-up, first for the band Bicycle Thieves, and then the post-punk R&B band, Conglomerate, which went on to sign with the independent record label Cargo Records.
Dax traveled to Berkeley with his Conglomerate bandmates in the mid-nineties and has called the East Bay his home ever since. After Conglomerate broke up, Dax remained a vibrant artist within the SF Bay Area music scene and went on to become co-founder of the bands Subtle and 13 & God, a touring member of left-of-center hip-hop group, Themselves, and an associate of the Anticon Collective. Dax also contributed and collaborated on musical projects with countless bands, artistic groups and performance artists, across the country and around the world. His musical career culminated as a solo artist with two seminal album releases, Live in Oakland (2019) and Nerve Bumps (2021), on Ratskin Records. (Please visit Dax’s LinkTree for a comprehensive list of his musical community spaces, recordings, videos, and collaborations: https://linktr.ee/DaxPierson).
His musical journey was broad and expansive, not only as a musician, but also as a music lover. Dax’s love of music drew him to work for a decade at Amoeba Music, becoming a beloved and valued member of the Amoeba family. When Dax wasn’t making music in his studio, he was diligently attending concerts and theater productions throughout Northern California. He had the magical ability to connect online to the artists he loved and admired, often ending up backstage when they toured through the Bay Area. He had a magnetic personality that attracted a generosity of spirit that opened both doors and hearts to his talents and warmth.
Dax's journey was not just about his musical achievements; he was a beacon of hope for those facing similar challenges. Dax called himself an experimental electronic music producer but for many he was also a sound and technology innovator. He dedicated much of his life to advocating for accessibility in the arts and empowering others with disabilities to pursue their passions. He was always open and honest about his self-taught, experimental approach to producing music as a quadriplegic artist, and his innovations with and adaptations to a wide variety of computer and musical equipment have paved the way for other differently-abled artists to create as prolifically as he did. Nothing is more inspiring than witnessing Dax in his wheelchair performing live via his iOS equipment to raptured audiences throughout the SF Bay area, at warehouses and festivals, bars and clubs, and so many of the alternative spaces that invited him in. His kindness, humor, and unwavering support for his peers made a lasting impact on his community.
Dax was preceded in death by his mother, Myrna Hardy Anderson and his grandparents. He is survived by his dedicated, loving life partner, Charles Robert Nanney, father, Herman Wentworth Pierson, sister, Rhonda Pierson (Duane) Mayfield, stepsister, Jala Anderson (Adrian) Moore, stepbrother, Walter A. Anderson, Jr. niece, Phoenix Rose Moore, his dear cousins, Malvena Walker and Carmen Jones, dedicated friend, Tracy Curry, and a host of family, friends, and countless fans who will cherish his music and legacy. Dax's indomitable spirit and the melodies he gifted the world will continue to inspire generations to come.
A celebration of life service will be held at noon on Saturday, February 8, 2025, at the Chapel of the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland, CA 94611, where family and friends will gather to celebrate Dax's life and the music that will forever echo in their hearts.
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