Steve Nardella
Encyclopedia
Steve Nardella is an American
blues
, rock and roll
, blues rock and rockabilly
guitarist
and singer. Allmusic journalist
, Cub Koda
, stated Nardella is a "strong, American roots-music performer, equally adept at rockabilly and low-down blues."
, Johnny Nicholas
and Fran Christina. By 1971 Nardella, Nicholas and Christina had all relocated to Ann Arbor, Michigan
. Nardella then instigated the Boogie Brothers band with Sarah Brown, Nicholas and Christina. They backed a variety of blues musicians who toured locally, and were on the bill at the 1972 Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival
, both as backing to Johnny Shines
and Boogie Woogie Red
, plus in their own right. Their work appeared on the Atlantic
album
, Ann Arbor Blues & Jazz Festival: 1972.
By the following year, the band name had changed to the Vipers and included the guitarist George Bedard. Their single, "Huron River Drive," was the first record to be released by Blind Pig
. In 1974, Nardella backed Bobo Jenkins
on his album Here I Am a Fool in Love Again. Other session musician
s used included Brown and Christina.
Nardella and Bedard then formed the Silvertones, who toured across the US
, and released the 1977 album, One Chance With You, also on Blind Pig. In addition to his harmonica playing, Nardella introduced more of his own guitar work and singing to their output. With a change of personnel, in 1979 the renamed Steve Nardella Band issued, It's All Rock & Roll. The Steve Nardella Band lasted from 1978 to 1984.
Nardella eventually became a solo artist and for years both toured and played backing to other musicians. His next album, Daddy Rollin' Stone did not appear until 1993. The same year, Nardella's trio backed Eddie Burns
on his Scandinavia
n tour. Nardella also led the touring backing band for Jack Scott.
In June 2008, Nardella, Bedard and their one time band pianist Mr. B (Mark Lincoln Braun), played a reunion concert in Ann Arbor's Firefly Club. Nardella, with varying backing musicians, continues to perform live.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
, rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
, blues rock and rockabilly
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
and singer. Allmusic journalist
Music journalism
Music journalism is criticism and reportage about music. It began in the eighteenth century as comment on what is now thought of as 'classical music'. This aspect of music journalism, today often referred to as music criticism , comprises the study, discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of...
, Cub Koda
Cub Koda
Michael "Cub" Koda was an American rock and roll singer, guitarist, songwriter, disc jockey, music critic, and record compiler. Rolling Stone magazine felt that Koda was best known for writing the song "Smokin' in the Boys' Room", which reached #3 on the 1974 Billboard charts as performed by...
, stated Nardella is a "strong, American roots-music performer, equally adept at rockabilly and low-down blues."
Biography
Nardella became proficient on both guitar and harmonica by his late teens, and by the late 1960s was in the Black Cat Blues Band with Duke RobillardDuke Robillard
Michael John "Duke" Robillard is an American blues musician.After playing in various bands and working for the Guild Guitar Company, he co-founded the band Roomful of Blues with pianist Al Copley in 1967. He has also been a member of The Fabulous Thunderbirds which included Kim Wilson, replacing...
, Johnny Nicholas
Johnny Nicholas
Johnny Nicholas is an American blues musician. He is most noted for being a member of the Grammy Award winning group, Asleep at the Wheel.-Biography:...
and Fran Christina. By 1971 Nardella, Nicholas and Christina had all relocated to Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
. Nardella then instigated the Boogie Brothers band with Sarah Brown, Nicholas and Christina. They backed a variety of blues musicians who toured locally, and were on the bill at the 1972 Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival
Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival
On a warm night in August 1969, several thousand blues lovers gathered in a small athletic field in Ann Arbor, Michigan for the first Ann Arbor Blues Festival. By the time blues icon B.B. King took the stage to close the show, it was clear that something magical was happening in this southeast...
, both as backing to Johnny Shines
Johnny Shines
Johnny Shines was an American blues singer and guitarist. According to the music journalist Tony Russell, "Shines was that rare being, a blues artist who overcame age and rustiness to make music that stood up beside the work of his youth...
and Boogie Woogie Red
Boogie Woogie Red
Boogie Woogie Red was an American Detroit blues, boogie-woogie and jazz pianist, singer and songwriter. He variously worked with Sonny Boy Williamson, Washboard Willie, Baby Boy Warren, Lonnie Johnson, Tampa Red, John Lee Hooker and Memphis Slim.-Biography:He was born Vernon Harrison in Rayville,...
, plus in their own right. Their work appeared on the Atlantic
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Ann Arbor Blues & Jazz Festival: 1972.
By the following year, the band name had changed to the Vipers and included the guitarist George Bedard. Their single, "Huron River Drive," was the first record to be released by Blind Pig
Blind Pig Records
Blind Pig Records is an American blues record label.Blind Pig was formed in 1977 in Ann Arbor, Michigan by Jerry Del Giudice, owner of the Blind Pig Cafe, and his friend Edward Chmelewski. The label is now based in San Francisco...
. In 1974, Nardella backed Bobo Jenkins
Bobo Jenkins
Bobo Jenkins was an American Detroit blues and electric blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. He also built and set up his own recording studio and record label in Detroit...
on his album Here I Am a Fool in Love Again. Other session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
s used included Brown and Christina.
Nardella and Bedard then formed the Silvertones, who toured across the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and released the 1977 album, One Chance With You, also on Blind Pig. In addition to his harmonica playing, Nardella introduced more of his own guitar work and singing to their output. With a change of personnel, in 1979 the renamed Steve Nardella Band issued, It's All Rock & Roll. The Steve Nardella Band lasted from 1978 to 1984.
Nardella eventually became a solo artist and for years both toured and played backing to other musicians. His next album, Daddy Rollin' Stone did not appear until 1993. The same year, Nardella's trio backed Eddie Burns
Eddie "Guitar" Burns
Eddie "Guitar" Burns is an American Detroit blues guitarist, harmonica player, singer and songwriter...
on his Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n tour. Nardella also led the touring backing band for Jack Scott.
In June 2008, Nardella, Bedard and their one time band pianist Mr. B (Mark Lincoln Braun), played a reunion concert in Ann Arbor's Firefly Club. Nardella, with varying backing musicians, continues to perform live.
Discography
- It's All Rock & Roll (1979) - Blind Pig RecordsBlind Pig RecordsBlind Pig Records is an American blues record label.Blind Pig was formed in 1977 in Ann Arbor, Michigan by Jerry Del Giudice, owner of the Blind Pig Cafe, and his friend Edward Chmelewski. The label is now based in San Francisco...
- Daddy Rollin' Stone (1993) - Schoolkids Records
See also
- List of blues musicians
- List of blues rock musicians
- List of rockabilly musicians