BY MAUREEN PARKER for WEEKLY VOLCANO | 6/26/2026
We all know what time of year it is here in the Pacific Northwest. It’s a season I like to call Outside.
Our favorite phrase around here is, “The mountain is out,” and if you’re from here, you already know what that means. It isn’t just an observation; it’s an invitation. And since I’m writing for Weekly Volcano, it seems only right to recognize that that is not a mountain out there, it’s a Volcano. So we also live like the Volcano is out, since Weekly Volcano is where everyone looks to figure out where everything is happening. Come on. Let’s go!
So you’re out and about, hitting farmers markets around the region. On this particular day, in downtown Tacoma taking in all the aromas: the food trucks, the fresh fruit and vegetables, all the goodness that comes with a Pacific Northwest summer.
Then you hear it.
Amazing acoustic music drifting through the courtyard.
You turn to the right and see Bradford King.
Good golly.
This gentleman is playing guitar with a looping effect layered into his performance, and the echoes and textures of what’s happening before you are absolutely transformative. The man knows how to keep an audience captivated.
And if you know me, you know I’m not shy about approaching people whose work I admire. I love giving compliments where they’re due. So I signed up for his email list and patiently waited for an opportunity to start a conversation.
Bradford was kind, pleasant, and gracious enough to save my life by agreeing to an interview for this piece, and for that, I thank him profusely.
Let’s start with his background and where his love of music began.
Bradford describes himself as a Navy brat who had the opportunity to see the world while growing up. During one family trip to England, he saw a busker playing saxophone in a London tunnel. Standing there, somewhere around seventh grade, he turned to his mother and said, “That’s what I want to do. I want to be a musician.”
He started with the saxophone, and once he picked it up, he decided he was going to busk.
Determined and ready to share his talents with the world, he headed out to perform. And according to Bradford, he busked.
Badly.
But that’s what passion does for you.
It gives you the courage to get out there. Even if you fall flat on your face, you learn what so many musicians and artists eventually discover: If you fail, you go home, you practice, and you get better.
It’s a lesson that builds character early. It teaches patience, perseverance, and how to turn passion into a lifelong gift.
Like many musicians, Bradford also had to navigate the reality of making a living and paying bills. Ridiculous, I know, but unfortunately, that’s how life works.
This man has worn more hats than most. Over the years, he’s been a data administrator, computer programmer, contractor, handyman, security guard, and my personal favorite, a singing gondolier in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Now, before you think I made that up, remember that as a Navy brat, he once lived in Italy, where he watched actual gondoliers singing through the canals. So honestly, the gondolier thing checks out.
Somehow, we got Mr. King through what I’m calling the Arizona-to-Portland-to-Seattle-to-Renton pipeline. Don’t ask me for details. I just made that up.
Along the way, he attended open mics and jam sessions, eventually beginning to write his own music around 2008. Seattle’s music scene became a place where he could continue honing his craft. During karaoke nights, people kept telling him he had a pretty good voice, so naturally, that got added to the mix as well.
His early musical influences include Morphine, particularly saxophonist Dana Colley, along with Primus and the Police.
I spent some time exploring Bradford’s work online, and I encourage you to do the same.
It’s immersive.
It’s original.
It’s creative.
I mean, seriously, even if you don’t get it, you get it.
You know what I mean?
For more than a decade, Bradford has performed regularly at Sea-Tac Airport, incorporating both guitar and looping technology into his sets. He also manages sound for Gigs4U, a role that came through relationships built within the music community and the kind of word-of-mouth reputation musicians work years to earn.
He performs throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond on a regular basis. In fact, the day I interviewed him, he was headed to a gig in Portland.
Bradford also operates a production company called Polybanderous Productions. We shared a good laugh discussing the origin of that name. Through the company, he releases original music and supports projects from artists across a variety of genres.
And because this man is tech-savvy and on top of his social media game, there’s very little chance you’ll miss what he’s up to next. Trust me, he’s on it.
All of his links are included with this article, and if you’d like to catch him live, his next local appearance will be at The Sandbar in Tacoma on August 5.
Yes, I know it’s a Wednesday.
Yes, technically, it’s a school night.
But it starts early, and at this big age, if you’re still outside without a designated driver, a rideshare app, or at least one reliable friend, that’s between you and your life choices.
Either way, go check him out online at polybanderousproductions.com or on Instagram here: @polybanderousp.
