The Steepwater Band
Encyclopedia
The Steepwater Band is an American rock band formed in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...

 in 1998 by the trio of Jeff Massey (guitars and vocals), Joe Winters (drums), and Tod Bowers (bass). The band took their name from a cargo vessel that Massey sighted in a port on Lake Michigan.

1998 to 2004

Initially the band concentrated on playing their own versions of classic blues songs, particularly electric Chicago-style blues, and performed their first concert at Phyllis' Musical Inn in Chicago on October 29, 1998.

The band quickly progressed from covering blues tunes to writing their own music. Their influences include the Allman Brothers Band, Free
Free (band)
Free were an English rock band, formed in London in 1968, best known for their 1970 signature song "All Right Now". They disbanded in 1973 and lead singer Paul Rodgers went on to become a frontman of the band Bad Company along with Simon Kirke on drums; lead guitarist Paul Kossoff died from a...

, Cream
Cream (band)
Cream were a 1960s British rock supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker...

, Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...

, the Rolling Stones, and Humble Pie
Humble Pie (band)
Humble Pie was a rock band from England, finding success both in the UK and the US. They are remembered for songs such as "Black Coffee" "30 Days in the Hole", "I Don't Need No Doctor", and "Natural Born Bugie"...

, in addition to blues artists such as Muddy Waters
Muddy Waters
McKinley Morganfield , known as Muddy Waters, was an American blues musician, generally considered the "father of modern Chicago blues"...

, Robert Johnson, and John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist.Hooker began his life as the son of a sharecropper, William Hooker, and rose to prominence performing his own unique style of what was originally closest to Delta blues. He developed a 'talking blues' style that was his trademark...

.

In 1999 the band met singer-songwriter Michael Connelly, who collaborated with them on their inaugural effort, the five-song EP Goin' Back Home. The Steepwater Band returned the favor by performing on Connelly's project, Bottles of Wine. Connelly officially joined The Steepwater Band in 2000.

The years of 1999 and 2000 saw the band performing relentlessly in Chicago and the surrounding region. During this time they continued to write new material and hone their gritty guitar-based blues-rock sound. The buzz in the local music community increased and on June 8, 2000, The Steepwater Band performed at their first Chicago Blues Festival
Chicago Blues Festival
The Chicago Blues Festival is an annual event held in June that features three days of performances by top-tier blues musicians, both old favorites and the up-and-coming. It is hosted by the City of Chicago Mayor's Office of Special Events, and always occurs in early June...

, kicking off that year's event at high noon.

The band released its first full-length CD in 2001. Titled Brother to the Snake, the CD was released with the support of radio station WXRT
WXRT
WXRT, also known as WXRT 93.1, XRT, and 93-XRT is a AAA radio station in Chicago, Illinois. For many years their slogan has been "Chicago's Finest Rock". WXRT is a primary sponsor of the Chicago nonprofit Rock For Kids.-History:...

 and Jim Beam
Jim Beam
Jim Beam is a brand of bourbon whiskey produced in Clermont, Kentucky. It is currently one of the best selling brands of bourbon in the world. Since 1795 , seven generations of the Beam family have been involved in whiskey production for the company that produces the brand, which was given the name...

 to a packed house at Chicago's Double Door
Double Door
Double Door is a concert hall and nightclub located at 1572 N. Milwaukee Avenue, in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood. The venue was first opened on June 12, 1994, and is co-owned by Andy Barrett, Sean Mulroney and Joe Shanahan...

. During the year the band also released a live-in-the-studio album, Live...Half in the Bag.

The band continued to play in the Midwest in 2002 and 2003, often being selected for opening act slots for international acts including Bad Company
Bad Company
Bad Company were an English rock supergroup founded in 1973, consisting of two former Free band members — singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke — as well as Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell. Peter Grant, who, in years prior, was a key component of...

, 38 Special, The Fabulous Thunderbirds
The Fabulous Thunderbirds
The Fabulous Thunderbirds are an American, Grammy-nominated Blues rock band, formed in 1974.-Career:After performing for several years in the Austin, Texas blues scene, the band won a recording contract with Takoma/Chrysalis Records, and later on signed with Epic Records.Their first two albums,...

, Sonny Landreth
Sonny Landreth
Sonny Landreth is an American blues musician from southwest Louisiana who is especially known as a slide guitar player. He was born in Canton, Mississippi, but soon after, his family moved to Jackson, Mississippi, before settling in Lafayette, Louisiana...

, Buddy Guy
Buddy Guy
George "Buddy" Guy is an American blues and jazz guitarist and singer. He is a critically acclaimed artist who has established himself as a pioneer of the Chicago blues sound, and has served as an influence to some of the most notable musicians of his generation...

, and Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal (musician)
Henry Saint Clair Fredericks , who uses the stage name Taj Mahal, is an American Grammy Award winning blues musician. He incorporates elements of world music into his music...

. The band also signed a recording, management, and publishing deal with Funzalo Records/Mike’s Artist Management during this period. This relationship resulted in the production of one album, Dharmakaya, which was recorded with producers Sean Slade and Paul Kolderie (Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...

, Warren Zevon
Warren Zevon
Warren William Zevon was an American rock singer-songwriter and musician noted for including his sometimes sardonic opinions of life in his musical lyrics, composing songs that were sometimes humorous and often had political or historical themes.Zevon's work has often been praised by well-known...

, the Pixies, Uncle Tupelo
Uncle Tupelo
Uncle Tupelo was an alternative country music group from Belleville, Illinois, active between 1987 and 1994. Jay Farrar, Jeff Tweedy, and Mike Heidorn formed the band after the lead singer of their previous band, The Primitives, left to attend college. The trio recorded three albums for Rockville...

) in Boston and released on May 18, 2004. Connelly departed in October 2004, and the band and Funzalo/MAM ended their relationship in early 2005.

2005 - 2010

In April 2005 the band performed on television in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...

, Tennessee, with Little Milton
Little Milton
James Milton Campbell, Jr. , better known as Little Milton, was an American electric blues, rhythm and blues, and soul singer and guitarist, best known for his hit records "Grits Ain't Groceries" and "We're Gonna Make It."-Biography:Milton was born James Milton Campbell, Jr., in the Mississippi...

, who died a few months later. In June, for their fifth time playing the Chicago Blues Festival
Chicago Blues Festival
The Chicago Blues Festival is an annual event held in June that features three days of performances by top-tier blues musicians, both old favorites and the up-and-coming. It is hosted by the City of Chicago Mayor's Office of Special Events, and always occurs in early June...

, they received a headlining slot on the Best Buy Showcase Stage.

In September, The Steepwater Band performed their first European concert at the Azkena Rock Festival in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.
In addition to their own 70-minute set (a set that was widely acclaimed in the European press following the festival), they hosted a late-night jam session with members of the Drive-by Truckers
Drive-By Truckers
Drive-By Truckers are an alternative country/Southern rock band based in Athens, Georgia, though three out of six members are originally from The Shoals region of Northern Alabama, and the band strongly identifies with Alabama. Their music uses three guitars as well as bass, drums, and now...

 and the Basque band The Soulbreaker Company. Approximately twenty other bands were invited to participate in the three-day event including Gov't Mule
Gov't Mule
Gov't Mule is a Southern rock jam band formed in 1994 as an Allman Brothers Band side project by Warren Haynes and Allen Woody.The band released their debut album Gov't Mule in 1995...

, Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...

, Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age is an American rock band from Palm Desert, California, United States, formed in 1997. The band's line-up has always included founding member Josh Homme , with the current line-up including longtime members Troy Van Leeuwen and Joey Castillo , alongside Michael Shuman and...

, and Wilco
Wilco
Wilco is an American alternative rock band based in Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of alternative country group Uncle Tupelo following singer Jay Farrar's departure. Wilco's lineup has changed frequently, with only singer Jeff Tweedy and bassist John...

.

In November 2005, the band was invited by Chicago rock radio station WLUP
WLUP
WLUP-FM is a commercial classic rock radio station serving the Chicago metropolitan area. Owned and operated by Merlin Media, LLC, WLUP transmits its signal from an antenna located the top of the Willis Tower in Downtown Chicago at a height of with an effective radiated power of 4,000 watts...

 to open for Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi , guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, as well as current bassist Hugh McDonald...

 at the sold-out United Center.

In 2006, in addition to their own heavy touring schedule, the band performed at various festivals and concerts with Umphrey's McGee
Umphrey's McGee
Umphrey's McGee is an American progressive rock jam band based in Chicago whose music is often referred to as "progressive improvisation", or "improg" ....

, Yonder Mountain String Band
Yonder Mountain String Band
The Yonder Mountain String Band is an American progressive bluegrass group from Nederland, Colorado. Composed of Dave Johnston, Jeff Austin, Ben Kaufmann, and Adam Aijala, the band has released five studio albums and several live recordings to date.- History :The band's history stretches back to...

, Keller Williams
Keller Williams
Keller Williams is an American musician from Fredericksburg, Virginia, who began performing in the early 1990s. He is also known by the names K-Dub or just Keller, when performing. Williams' music combines elements of bluegrass, folk, alternative rock, reggae, electronica/dance, jazz, funk, and...

, the Doobie Brothers, Ian Gillan
Ian Gillan
Ian Gillan is an English rock music vocalist and songwriter, best known as the lead singer and lyricist for Deep Purple. During his career Gillan also fronted his own band, had a year-long stint as the vocalist for Black Sabbath, and sang the role of Jesus in the original recording of Andrew Lloyd...

 (Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...

's vocalist), and Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of members Robin Zander , Rick Nielsen , Tom Petersson , and Bun E...

.

The band’s third full-length CD, Revelation Sunday, was released on August 15, 2006. The album is being distributed by Evangeline Records in Europe and on the band’s own Diamond Day imprint in the United States. The CD release concert for Revelation Sunday was held on August 11, 2006, at Chicago's historic Metro music venue.

In September, the band headlined three concerts (with The Soulbreaker Company as the opening act) in Madrid, Bilbao, and Barcelona, Spain. Rick Richards
Rick Richards
Rick Richards is an American rock guitarist.He is best known for being a member of the band The Georgia Satellites from Atlanta, Georgia. After the initial line up of "Keith and the Satellites" with Keith Christopher, Rick Richards, Dan Baird and David Michaelson, the Georgia Satellites including...

, guitarist of The Georgia Satellites, joined the band on stage for three songs in Barcelona.

The band performed on the Gimme Three Days cruise with Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird...

, .38 Special
.38 Special
The .38 Smith & Wesson Special is a rimmed, centerfire cartridge designed by Smith & Wesson. It is most commonly used in revolvers, although some semi-automatic pistols and carbines also use this round...

, American Minor, Tishamingo, Blackberry Smoke
Blackberry Smoke
Blackberry Smoke is an American southern rock band from Atlanta, Georgia. The lineup consists of Charlie Starr , Richard Turner , Brit Turner , Paul Jackson , and Brandon Still ....

, and other blues-rock
Blues-rock
Blues rock is a hybrid musical genre combining bluesy improvisations over the 12-bar blues and extended boogie jams with rock and roll styles. The core of the blues rock sound is created by the electric guitar, piano, bass guitar and drum kit, with the electric guitar usually amplified through a...

, southern rock
Southern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...

 and country artists aboard the Carnival Cruise Lines
Carnival Cruise Lines
Carnival Cruise Lines is a British-American owned cruise line, based in Doral, Florida, a suburb of Miami in the United States. Originally an independent company founded in 1972 by Ted Arison, the company is now one of eleven cruise ship brands owned and operated by Carnival Corporation & plc...

 Fascination in January 2007. The event was produced by Sixthman LLC of Atlanta, Georgia.

In its March issue, Vintage Guitar
Vintage Guitar
Vintage Guitar is a guitar magazine, published monthly since 1986. Writers for the magazine include Seymour W. Duncan, George Gruhn, and Wolf Marshall...

magazine published a full-page article/interview with band members.

In July, the band returned to Europe for a tour of Spain and the Canary Islands. The tour began with a concert in Barcelona, Spain, on July 5 with Gov't Mule and John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, and also included a date with long-time Black Crowes guitarist Marc Ford.

In conjunction with the tour the band also released the "Songs From the Eighth Day" CD, featuring covers of Neil Young's "Cortez the Killer", Bob Dylan's "Phantom Engineer", Big Bill Broonzy's "Key to the Highway", Robert Johnson's "Walkin' Blues", a live version of "Collision", and two new Steepwater Band songs.

In May 2008, the band hits the Compound Studios in Long Beach, CA with producer Marc Ford (ex-Black Crowes guitarist), to record Grace And Melody. The record was released by Diamond day Records in November 2008.

The Steepwater Band signed with the Teenage Head Music booking agency from Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

. Diamond Day Records released Grace And Melody in December 2008. In December 2009, the band announced a five week tour of Europe, including a run with Marc Ford in Spain on the first ten dates.

In early February 2010, the band embarks on a 2 week tour with Gov't Mule. and shortly after begins their 5 week European tour.

In September 2010, The Steepwater Band's brand new single, The Stars Look Good Tonight, debuts on the FMQB AAA Top 200 Radio Chart at #165*, with the help of Jeff McClusky & Associates, The JB Brenner Company and Heavy Lenny Promotions.

In October 2010 Diamond Day Records releases Live at the Double Door. Recorded at a single show in May 2010, the album showcases the raw, powerful sound of the bands live set.

August 16, 2011 sees the release of Clava, to rave reviews.

January 7, 2012 - The song, Collision, off their 2006 Revelation Sunday album, will appear in the motion picture, One For The Money, featuring Katherine Heigl.

Discography

  • 2000 - Goin' Back Home EP (Independent)
  • 2001 - Brother to the Snake (USA: Funzalo Records; Europe: Evangeline Records
    Evangeline Records
    Evangeline Records is an independent American record label based in San Francisco, California that promotes and releases music in the indie rock, baroque pop, psych folk, and Gothic Americana genres. The label was founded by notable songwriters Bob Frank and John Murry in 2006.Both Frank and Murry...

    )
  • 2001 - Live....Half in the Bag (Independent)
  • 2004 - Dharmakaya (USA: Funzalo Records; Europe: Evangeline Records; Canada: True North Records
    True North Records
    True North Records is a Canadian independent record label. It was founded in Mississauga, Ontario in 1969 by Bernie Finkelstein. On December 17, 2007, True North was acquired by an investment group led by Linus Entertainment...

    )
  • 2006 - Revelation Sunday (USA: Diamond Day Records; Europe: Evangeline Records)
  • 2007 - Songs From the Eighth Day (USA: Diamond Day Records)
  • 2008 - Grace And Melody (Diamond Day Records)
  • 2008 - The Steepwater Band Live Concert DVD
  • 2010 - Live at the Double Door (Diamond Day Records)
  • 2010 - The Stars Look Good Tonight - Single (Diamond Day Records)
  • 2011 - Clava (Diamond Day Records)

Film and television

  • Major Motion Picture - One For The Money, featuring Katherine Heigl: used the song “Collision” ~ 2012
  • Chicago Cubs Baseball (WGN Superstation): “The Stars Look Good Tonight” ~ 2010
  • The television series Deadliest Catch used the song "Another Cold Letdown" 2010
  • The television series Friday Night Lights
    Friday Night Lights (TV series)
    Friday Night Lights is an American sports drama television series adapted by Peter Berg, Brian Grazer and David Nevins from a book and film of the same name. The series details events surrounding a high school football team based in fictional Dillon, Texas, with particular focus given to team...

    used the song "Revelation Sunday" during a football game sequence in a 2007 episode (online and DVD versions).
  • The Disney movie Invincible
    Invincible (2006 film)
    Invincible is a 2006 family film directed by Ericson Core set in 1976. It is based on the true story of Vince Papale, who played for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1976–78. Mark Wahlberg portrays Papale and Greg Kinnear plays Papale's coach, Dick Vermeil...

    starring Mark Wahlberg
    Mark Wahlberg
    Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg is an American actor, film and television producer, and former rapper. He was known as Marky Mark in his earlier years, and became famous for his 1991 debut as a musician with the band Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. He was named No. 1 on VH1's 40 Hottest Hotties of...

     contained the song "Autumn" off the band's 2004 release Dharmakaya.
  • Nissan Motors
    Nissan Motors
    , usually shortened to Nissan , is a multinational automaker headquartered in Japan. It was a core member of the Nissan Group, but has become more independent after its restructuring under Carlos Ghosn ....

     has been using the song "Black Cat's Path", also from Dharmakaya, for a long-running national television advertising campaign (2004 - current) for their full-size Titan pick-up truck.
  • The television sitcom My Name Is Earl
    My Name Is Earl
    My Name Is Earl is an American television comedy series created by Greg Garcia that was originally broadcast on the NBC television network from September 20, 2005, to May 14, 2009, in the United States...

    has used the songs "Dead Horse" (Dharmakaya) and "Dirty Ol' Blues" (Brother to the Snake) in episodes.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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