Many people volunteer to help me run the shows:
Anthony Roselli (does sound at every showcase),
Tanya Tyner (ticket sales at the David Olney show),
Cliff Stepp (designs posters for the song contest),
Nancy Craig (is particularly good at passing the tip bucket),
Nancy Lehman (distributes fliers),
Joan Ott (has helped out in many ways),
Sonnie Brown (an excellent MC),
Craig Dingman (ticket sales),
Michael Barrish (sound, ticket sales, and also fixed my guitar case!)
Thanks to everyone else who pitches in.
Influences
Jackson Browne, Janis Ian, John Denver, Steve Goodman, Loudoun Wainwright III, Tom Paxton, Jonathan Edwards, Gordon Lightfoot, Glen Campbell, Mac McAnally, James Taylor, Jim Croce, Joni Mitchell, Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, John Prine, Christine Lavin, Bill Morrissey, Rod MacDonald, Cheryl Wheeler, Bruce Springsteen, Guy Clark, Tom Waits, Bruce Cockburn, Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle, Burl Ives, Bob Gibson, Pete Seeger, Cat Stevens, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Ferron, Neil Young, Graham Nash, Bob Franke, Pierce Pettis, B.W. Stevenson, Hoyt Axton, John Hartford, Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash, Roger Miller, Shel Silverstein.
Sounds Like
the Number 1 Broadway Local, a poetry reading at the Cafe Trieste, a campfire in Texas Hill Country, a '68 Plymouth Valiant with bald tires and brakes you can hear two blocks away, a Dunkin' Donuts in Baltimore, a radio station you heard once but can't remember where it is on the dial, a scratchy record they'll probably never release on CD, the Berryessa Flea Market, the bookstore that's closing next week, Bongo Java, the Lunch Bunch AA meeting at the Improv in DC, a guy with a guitar.
Steve Key is an award-winning songwriter, performer and recording artist. He is also a songwriting teacher, concert producer, host of weekly songwriter showcases at The Clubhouse in San Luis Obispo, and music booker for Linnaea's Cafe, also in SLO.------------------------------------------------------
He wrote "Record Time (33, 45, 78)" recorded by country star Kathy Mattea in 1992, and by the Nashville duo called Hometown News on their CD released in Sept. '05. Dozens of folk, country, blues and pop artists have recorded and performed Steve Key songs. Key has written songs with Dave Mallett, Kate Campbell, Pierce Pettis, Sally Barris and many others on Nashville's Music Row.
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Key was honored with a Lifetime Membership in the Songwriters Association of Washington, DC. Members of the Washington Area Music Association have nominated Steve Key for its "Wammie" awards as "Best Songwriter of the Year" and "Best Folk Male Vocalist".
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Other awards include:
WINNER of the New Folk contest at the Kerrville (TX) Folk Festival.
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2003 TOP TEN FINALIST in the Mountain Stage NewSong Festival songwriting contest in West Virginia.
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2005 TOP TEN FINALIST in the Plowshares Song contest in Phoenixville PA.
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Steve Key toured frequently across the U.S. and Canada, performed at the Philadelphia Folk Festival, the Canadian folk festivals at Winnipeg and Owen Sound, and three times on the main stage of the Kerrville Folk Festival. He appeared at major venues such as The Birchmere (VA), The Ark (MI), The Bluebird Cafe (TN), and The Kennedy Center (DC). Key shared concert billing with Richard Thompson, Christine Lavin, Patty Larkin, Cheryl Wheeler, Ellis Paul, Livingston Taylor, James McMurtry, David Mallett, Taj Mahal, Rory Block, Claudia Schmidt, Jonathan Edwards, Bill Staines and Tom Paxton.
Hey Steve, Just listened to a couple of songs here. I love your voice and your --energy--that's how we say it in Ojai anyway (!). I think "vibe" might've gone the way of 33,45,78. Looking forward to working with you. I play Zoey's Friday night and will ask about Loren... Yours and Truly, Julie
hi Steve, i came back to listen for a while.. good stuff! thanks again for the offer to play in october at the showcase. wish it could work schedule wise. hopefuly, another time. look forward to meeting you at far-west. :) many blessings, alice
Hi Steve! Hope you are well...I'm hoping to be in Shell Beach in August. Looking forward to hearing some good music at the songwriters showcase @ the Clubhouse! TAKE CARE
Tomorrow, July 4th, I'm being featured at the "Featured Artist of the Day" MySpace site. If you have some time, please stop by and say "hi" to Jeanne. She runs this wonderful site which would be great for your music.
Glad you enjoyed a great night at The Clubhose. Thank you for your commitment in helping to nurture and support local talent with these public showcases.
I especially appreciate how you integrate beginner and intermediate local artists with the more professional touring artists for these performances, rather than dividing them into "A" and "B" teams.
In this way, the more "youthful" in their craft can share their love of music, hone their skills, and glean inspiration from their seasoned counterparts. By the same token, the more experienced artists benefit, too, with renewed encouragement and a fresh reminder as to why they're working so hard, traveling and singing in the first place.
What a privilege for these artists to play and share music with your faithful audiences. This and the dynamic of sharpening together both new and pro musicians are what gathering together in these showcases is very much about.
Howdy Steve, just wanted to thank You again for inviting me to perform in yer Showcase. It was a kick, and an honor being able to play amongst creative and talented Artists. I enjoy yer "Golden" song as well, the Dynamics, Melody, and how you play yer chord structures, nice... I also want to compliment You on yer Professionalism. This is alot of work. Setting up, running a smooth show, and follow-ups are very time consuming. I've been in some unfortunate circumstances where propmoters gt nowhere reaching the Mark necessary to ascertain a decent show. Thnx Again... Cody
Love the new songs, especially 'Windchimes'. Sorry I don't see you much, but I moved down to Orange County around the first of the year. See you're playing with Sligo Rags in August. I've known Gordon, the bass player, for about thirty years. Just saw him a couple weeks back. They're a great band. If I ever get up SLO way I let you know. My girlfriend's son starts at CalPoly in Sept, so its a good chance we'll be up at some point. Anyway... just wanted to say 'Hi' and listen to the new tunes. Really nice, Steve.
It's about time! Glad to see / listen to some new tunes from you and find myself particularly partial to "Wind Chimes" and to happiness that's oozing off of your page recently, Steve. Looks like you've found a muse AND a companion... not a bad combo! Wyoming is AMAZING... no new tunes yet, but I'm still tinkering with that song about my Mom... Keep in touch! Tanya
HELLO STEVE I STILL KEEP UP WITH ALL YOUR POSTING,THANK YOU.I SHOULD DROP BY SOME NIGHT WHEN I AM FREE.I LIVE IN PASO. SO WEEKDAY A BIG OF A DRIVE DOWN TO SLO..HAVE A GOOD WEEK
Steve- It was a pleasure meeting and working with you, . 'Hardly...' is such a sweet song, I just finished playing it for my friends. I look forward to next time. - Randall, www. certainsparks. com
Hi Steve, I'm sorta musing about a trip west in October... got some things cookin' in Nashville, so I'm gonna stick around for a bit. :-) Thanks for sayin' "hey!" Rebecca
Honey, I am a movie star! :o)ha ha So happy to hear that everything is OK in CA! I am going to a festival tomorrow in Wytheville..my girlfriend Leslie Brooks is playing!
