Justin Vernon

Justin DeYarmond Edison Vernon (born April 30, 1981) is a Grammy Award-winning American singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. He is best-known as the primary songwriter and frontman of Bon Iver. His musical career began in the late 1990s with Mount Vernon, followed by early 2000s solo releases as Justin Vernon and a tenure with DeYarmond Edison. Following that band’s dissolution in 2006, Vernon recorded the debut For Emma, Forever Ago.

Vernon is also co-founder of the 37d03d and the 37d03d collective alongside Aaron Dessner of The National. His primary musical projects include The Shouting Matches, Volcano Choir, Gayngs, and Big Red Machine. Within his hometown of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, he established April Base studios and co-curated the Eaux Claires Music & Arts Festival, which launched in 2015.

As a collaborator, Vernon reached mainstream audiences through his work on Kanye West’s albums My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010), and Kanye West (2013). As well as projects for James Blake, Francis and the Lights, and The Staves, producing their 2015 album If I Was. In 2020, he began a partnership with Taylor Swift, appearing on Folklore and Evermore. Between 2023 and 2025, he worked with artists such as Travis Scott, Zach Bryan, and Charli xcx.

He has also contributed original music to several soundtracks for both film and television.

Vernon’s work has been highly awarded, including Best Alternative Music Album for Bon Iver, Bon Iver (2011). His 2025 release, SABLE, fABLE, earned nominations for Best Alternative Music Album and Best Alternative Music Performance for “S P E Y S I D E” at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards in 2026.