Thursday, March 31, 2005

Jeffrey Steele, June 11th, 2005

For more information, see www.jeffreysteele.net
Jeffrey Steele Discography
(translation: songs he’s written for other artists)

Gone / Montgomery Gentry
Help Somebody / Van Zant
Something To Be Proud Of / Montgomery Gentry
These Days / Rascal Flatts
Chrome / Trace Adkins
I’m Tryin’ / Trace Adkins
Couldn’t Last A Moment / Collin Raye
Speed / Montgomery Gentry
When The Lights Go Down / Faith Hill
Unbelievable / Diamond Rio
My Town / Montgomery Gentry
The Cowboy In Me / Tim McGraw
Without You / Keith Urban
Tip Your Hat / Marty Stuart
If That Ain’t Country / Anthony Smith
Speed / Montgomery Gentry
Born in Burbank, California, Jeffrey Steele adopted his dynamic last name to pay tribute to his father, an aspiring songwriter who made his living cutting and processing steel, after his father's death in 1987. It was at the family steel shop where Jeffrey spent most of his time as a kid, working and playing guitars, listening to Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson into the late hours. The family shop was around the corner from the famous Palomino Club in North Hollywood’s industrial section, where Jeffrey and his father would listen to the music of Ray Price, Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash. Jeffrey would even enter the Monday night talent show from time to time. Jeffrey’s older brothers and sisters introduced him to the sounds of the Beatles and Motown legends. It soon became Jeffrey’s mission in life to listen to every record ever made, and discover the intrinsic passion and fun in all music.

By 17, Jeffrey was on the road playing with different groups, and began writing songs. He played back-up for local acts such as Cliffie Stone, Red Simpson, Hank Thompson and Rose Maddox. Jeffrey also became a sought after session singer in Los Angeles, the highlight of which he says was singing a demo in a bathroom with Smokey Robinson.

After starting various bands with the hopes of landing a record deal, Jeffrey met guitar slingers Larry Park, his brother Cary, and drummer Hugh Wright, and formed “Boy Howdy” in 1988. They immediately became a fixture in the Los Angeles country circuit, raking in several awards, and finally landing a record deal with Curb Records in 1991. The band’s first major “break” came with the release of “A Cowboy’s Born With a Broken Heart.” Other hits that followed included, “She’d Give Anything to Fall in Love” and “They Don’t Make ‘Em Like That Anymore”--songs that took country radio by storm.

Boy Howdy toured all over the world for eight years before parting ways in 1996, having won ACM band of the year in 1990, gracing the legendary Opry stage, and fulfilling their dreams.

After Boy Howdy, Jeffrey relocated to Nashville, TN where he has written hits for Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Montgomery Gentry, Diamond Rio, Trace Adkins, Rascal Flatts and many more. He has received numerous songwriting accolades such as BMI and NSAI’s 2003 Songwriter of the year, and BMI recently awarded Jeffrey for over 20 million airplays.
As an artist, Jeffrey is performing on his own and with his band. Whether it’s an intimate club show, or an audience of thousands, Jeffrey remains a riveting presence. He is an artist that will always find a way to play his songs for people, because making that connection is his mission in music.