The Nashville Singers organization was blessed to have the cover and tray card art of our new Christmas CD designed by Nelson Coates. Nelson took 16 individual chorus member photos shot in front of a green screen by John Jackson and created a composite image of the chorus for the cover.

Nelson is a production designer and set designer for film, television, and theater.

He was nominated for an Emmy Award in 1994 for his art direction of the miniseries The Stand, for which he designed all 225 sets.

Coates is a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. He was named Abilene Christian University's Outstanding Young Alumnus of the Year in 1996 and was recipient of the ACU Department of Journalism/Mass Communications Gutenberg Award.

He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Laguna College of Art and Design.

Nelson stated, "Whatever the medium, whatever the scale of project, attention to detail and creativity must be balanced within the parameters of resources, manpower, and time. Adding dimension and depth to a story while creating a visual arc that reflects and informs the story arc of the characters is one of the most challenging and fulfilling aspects of production design. And of course of utmost importance is a can-do positive attitude of possibility thinking."

Nelson Coates has created an impressive body of work, both comedic and dramatic, that spans numerous genres and time periods, all while creating a unique look for each project that embodies a strong specific sense of time and place.

Nelson has worked with so many great talents in the entertainment industry, including: Anjelica Huston, Barbra Streisand, Bill Paxton, Bob Weinstein, Danny DeVito, Denzel Washington, Gary Sinise, Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, Lorne Michaels, Morgan Freeman, Robert Zemeckis, Sandra Bullock, and Tommy Lee Jones, to name a few.

His movie credits include: Albino Alligator (1996), Antwone Fisher (2002), Aquamarine (2006), Big Miracle (2012), CB4 (1993), Disturbing Behavior (1998), Don't Say A Word (2001), Flight (2012), Frailty (2002), Impostor (2001), Kiss the Girls (1997), Living Out Loud (1998), Man of the House (2005), Murder At 1600 (1997), Problem Child (1990), Runaway Jury (2003), School for Scoundrels (2006), Stir of Echoes (1999), The Code (2008), The Express (2008), The Guilt Trip (2012), The Last Song (2010), The Proposal (2009), Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (1995), Three of Hearts (1993) Universal Soldier (1992)

What is Nelson's connection the the Nashville Singers?

Todd Wilson and Nelson first met back in the mid-80s when both of them sang together in the award-winning Vocal Majority men's chorus. Nelson came up with the name for Todd's quartet ACOUSTIX when the group formed in 1990, and went on to direct the group's photo shoots and design the covers for all five ACOUSTIX CD releases.

Nashville Singers is forever grateful to Nelson Coates for donating his creative services to our new CD project and for becoming our newest in-kind sponsor.