Listen to the first time Peter Breinholt was on The Cultural Hall
Growing up, Breinholt taught himself how to play piano, guitar and drums by listening to Beatles songs. At the age of 11, he began writing his own songs. After his father took a teaching position at the University of Utah, which took the family to Salt Lake City, Breinholt spent his teenage years in a band made up of friends performing 60’s, 70’s and 80’s cover songs at college fraternity parties and high school “stomps”. It wasn’t until Peter became a student at the University of Utah, however, that he began performing his own songs alone at informal gatherings and at local restaurants. A homemade tape of his music began circulating on the University of Utah campus, which lead to requests by friends for an official recording.
As his audiences grew, Breinholt began adding members to his live performing group, including pianist David Tolk, bluegrass musician Ryan Shupe, and cellist Steven Sharp Nelson.
The following year, Breinholt performed at events for the 2002 Winter Olympics, including at the concert marking the arrival of the torch to Salt Lake City. A live version of Breinholt’s song “Jubilee” was included on the official commemorative album of the games, alongside songs by artists with local ties including Gladys Knight, Donny Osmond, Marie Osmond, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Kurt Bestor and Sam Cardon.
In 2012, a song from his 1999 Deep Summer album called “Lullaby” inspired FBI special agent Timothy Ballard to establish Operation Underground Railroad. Breinholt has since recorded a new version of the song with the One Voice Children’s Choir and given it to Ballard’s organization.
Peter’s songs have been heard in CNN stories, movie trailers, and feature-length films. A song Breinholt wrote as a teenager was the theme song for the nationally syndicated television show BrideAccess.com.
In November 2016, Utah Governor Gary Herbert awarded Breinholt the Utah Governor’s Mansion Artist Award for a lifetime of achievement in the arts
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