The Steel Wheels
Encyclopedia
The Steel Wheels are an American
roots music
, Americana
and folk
musicians, based in the Blue Ridge Mountains
of Virginia
.
The four-piece group is based in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Lead vocalist and the band's primary songwriter Trent Wagler has been making music in Virginia for nearly ten years, and it is there that Trent met what would be the first new member of The Steel Wheels, Jay Lapp (mandolin, guitar, vocals). Jay had been touring in several bands throughout the Midwest when he and Trent met in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The musical partnership formed, and it was the first incarnation The Steel Wheels. Later, the two were joined by Brian Dickel (upright bass) and Eric Brubaker (fiddle), and The Steel Wheels were born.
The Steel Wheels received seven nominations from The Independent Music Awards
in 2010. Their recently released song “Nothing You Can’t Lose” (from the album 'Red Wing') received the highest award of “Best Country Song” in the 10th Annual IMA Awards, and in the Vox Pop Awards. "Working on a Building" also won "Best Gospel Song" in the 10th Annual IMA Vox Pop Awards. 'Red Wing' earned very high marks from critics and is receiving airplay on radio stations across several markets. The album charted for 13 weeks on the Americana Music Association Top 40 radio charts, hitting #15. It also made its way onto the EuroAmericana charts, finding its way into the top 10. It was ranked number two across all independent releases charted by the Americana Music Association, and number 70 on the top 100 Americana albums of 2010).
The Steel Wheels have appeared at numerous Americana festivals, including The Bristol Rhythm and Roots Festival, the Kerrville Folk Festival
, Floydfest, the Albino Skunk Music Festival, the Smoky Hill River Fest, the Folk Alliance and Appalachian Uprising. Other notable venues they have played include the NPR
Mountain Stage, Eddie's Attic, the Ark, the Bluebird Cafe and the Calgary Folk Club. Trent Wagler and Jay Lapp have also played at the 'Ards International Guitar Festival in Ireland, with Peter Rowan.
“Imagine a blend of the passion of the Avett Brothers, the instrumentals of Old Crow Medicine Show, and then sprinkle in the backwoods feel of The Legendary Shack Shakers. In truth, attempting to compare The Steel Wheels to anyone is an injustice, since after one listen you can hear that they stand very well on their own perch.” - John Walker, Americana Roots
"There is purity and power in the sound of this band that few come close to tapping. Tight pickin', passionate energy, and Wagler's voice soars like an eagle. Their new album Red Wing captures the spirit of their great live performances." — Martin Anderson, WNCW
Music Director
"Shenandoah Valley's newest, and brightest, songwriting force." — Blueridge Outdoors Magazine
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
roots music
Roots music
Roots music can refer to several styles or trends in music:* Americana * Folk music* Roots of hip hop, the conditions which led to creation of the hip hop genre* Roots reggae...
, Americana
Americana (music)
Americana is an amalgam of roots musics formed by the confluence of the shared and varied traditions that make up the American musical ethos; specifically those sounds that are merged from folk, country, blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll and other external influential styles...
and folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
musicians, based in the Blue Ridge Mountains
Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.
Biography
The Steel Wheels are a roots and Americana band, writing and playing music in the closely related but unique styles of blues, bluegrass, old-time music, and fiddle music. Their music respects the past but lives in the present, and layers musical textures with a modern edge to create a new sound.The four-piece group is based in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Lead vocalist and the band's primary songwriter Trent Wagler has been making music in Virginia for nearly ten years, and it is there that Trent met what would be the first new member of The Steel Wheels, Jay Lapp (mandolin, guitar, vocals). Jay had been touring in several bands throughout the Midwest when he and Trent met in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The musical partnership formed, and it was the first incarnation The Steel Wheels. Later, the two were joined by Brian Dickel (upright bass) and Eric Brubaker (fiddle), and The Steel Wheels were born.
The Steel Wheels received seven nominations from The Independent Music Awards
The Independent Music Awards
The Independent Music Awards is an international program that honors top-ranked independent artists and releases in more than 50 Album, Song, Music Video and Design categories....
in 2010. Their recently released song “Nothing You Can’t Lose” (from the album 'Red Wing') received the highest award of “Best Country Song” in the 10th Annual IMA Awards, and in the Vox Pop Awards. "Working on a Building" also won "Best Gospel Song" in the 10th Annual IMA Vox Pop Awards. 'Red Wing' earned very high marks from critics and is receiving airplay on radio stations across several markets. The album charted for 13 weeks on the Americana Music Association Top 40 radio charts, hitting #15. It also made its way onto the EuroAmericana charts, finding its way into the top 10. It was ranked number two across all independent releases charted by the Americana Music Association, and number 70 on the top 100 Americana albums of 2010).
The Steel Wheels have appeared at numerous Americana festivals, including The Bristol Rhythm and Roots Festival, the Kerrville Folk Festival
Kerrville Folk Festival
The Kerrville Folk Festival is a music festival held for 18 consecutive days in the late spring/early summer at Quiet Valley Ranch near Kerrville, Texas. The event has run on a yearly basis since 1972. In November 2008, the Kerrville Folk Festival and Kerrville Wine & Music Festival were acquired...
, Floydfest, the Albino Skunk Music Festival, the Smoky Hill River Fest, the Folk Alliance and Appalachian Uprising. Other notable venues they have played include the NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
Mountain Stage, Eddie's Attic, the Ark, the Bluebird Cafe and the Calgary Folk Club. Trent Wagler and Jay Lapp have also played at the 'Ards International Guitar Festival in Ireland, with Peter Rowan.
“Imagine a blend of the passion of the Avett Brothers, the instrumentals of Old Crow Medicine Show, and then sprinkle in the backwoods feel of The Legendary Shack Shakers. In truth, attempting to compare The Steel Wheels to anyone is an injustice, since after one listen you can hear that they stand very well on their own perch.” - John Walker, Americana Roots
"There is purity and power in the sound of this band that few come close to tapping. Tight pickin', passionate energy, and Wagler's voice soars like an eagle. Their new album Red Wing captures the spirit of their great live performances." — Martin Anderson, WNCW
WNCW
WNCW is a noncommercial public radio station licensed to Isothermal Community College in Spindale, North Carolina, with a varied format including folk, blues, jazz, reggae, celtic, world, rock, bluegrass, indie and news....
Music Director
"Shenandoah Valley's newest, and brightest, songwriting force." — Blueridge Outdoors Magazine
The "SpokeSongs" Bicycle Tour
In step with the feel of their music, taking tradition and history and giving it a modern flavor, the The Steel Wheels conduct an annual tour called “Spokesongs”. Different from usual tours, this one is done entirely by bicycle. They average ten shows and travel around 500 miles, and transport all gear on their bikes. The first tour, in 2009, featured The Steel Wheels Duo (Wagler and Lapp) traveling through the Virginia countryside. In 2010, the duo moved the tour to Michigan. And in 2011, all four band members participated in the bicycle tour, again in Michigan. They maintain a blog about the tour on their website. The Michigan-based company Tree Fort Bikes is assisting in the tour.Discography
- Red Wing (Independent, 2010)
- Timbered Choir EP (Independent, 2009]
- Adrienna Valentine (Dojo, 2008)
- Blue Heaven (Dojo, 2006)
- Journal of a Barefoot Soldier (Dojo, 2005)