Several hundred, at least. Elton John and Neil Young are primary, as are numerous other songwriters and musicians important to the 60s and 70s like Jackson Browne, Dan Fogelberg, David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, James Taylor, Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, Bruce Springsteen, Cat Stevens, Harry Chapin, Steve Miller, Warren Zevon, Eric Clapton, Tom Petty, Jonathan Edwards, John Prine, Arlo Guthrie, Randy Newman, Billy Joel, Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris, Rickie Lee Jones, Elvis Costello and Graham Parker. The Grateful Dead, The Beatles and Yes have been pretty important, as have The Moody Blues, Pink Floyd, Little Feat, The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver, CCR, Jimi, Janis, Dire Straits, Jethro Tull, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Who, Cream, The Byrds, Queen, The Allman Brothers, The Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, The Clash and many other great bands. Important 80s/90s-era artists include U2, REM, The B-52s, Peter Gabriel, Talking Heads, Howard Jones, Bruce Hornsby, The Pretenders, Tears For Fears, Timbuk 3, World Party and Midnight Oil. Then I got swept away and heavily influenced by another wave of singer-songwriters beginning with Tracy Chapman and Suzanne Vega, on into Shawn Colvin, Mary Chapin Carpenter, David Wilcox, Cheryl Wheeler, John Gorka, Bill Morrissey, Patty Larkin, Indigo Girls, Dar Williams, Richard Shindell, Sonia of disappear fear, Todd Snider, Natalie Merchant, Michelle Shocked, Gillian Welch and Steve Earle, among many others. Somewhere I discovered other very important artists who've kinda been there all along, like Richard Thompson, Loudon Wainwright III, Alison Krauss, Nanci Griffith and the late great Kate Wolf, Michael Hedges and Steve Goodman. The precision of Jorma Kaukonen has been a key influence. JD Hutchison and Bruce Dalzell are two great Athens OH-based performers who have mesmerized me. Bob Marley's in there somewhere too. I've been particularly touched by encounters with the great Scotsman Dougie MacLean and two personal musical heroes, Greg Brown and Bruce Cockburn. All of these people are magicians, and I love playing their music for myself and anyone who loves a good song.
Sounds Like
Folks have told me they hear bits of Bruce Cockburn, Neil Young, Randy Newman and Cat Stevens in my original music. I tend to focus on positive themes like hope, magic, healing and wonder, so anything along those lines might be in my general ballpark.
I am a 47-year-old singer-songwriter based in Athens, Ohio. The release this April of my new EP called "Silver Linings" showcases six of my best original songs by presenting them through the prism of a collaboration with skilled co-producer Bernie Nau at his Peach Fork Studios in Meigs County, Ohio, with ten talented local guest musicians helping these songs come to life.
Here's my Bio:
Raised in Columbus, Ohio, Steve Zarate (rhymes with karate) began playing acoustic guitar and harmonica and writing songs at age 15 in 1976, emulating camp counselors who played great 60s and 70s music around summer evening campfires. Self-taught by learning songs he loved (especially Elton John, Neil Young and Beatles tunes), Steve has since copyrighted 190 original songs with the Library of Congress. While earning three Ohio University degrees (B.A. Telecommunications, M.A. Political Science, M.S. Journalism) between 1978 and 1991, he grew to cherish charming Athens and the green Southeast Ohio countryside. In 1992 he released a debut cassette of 18 original songs, "Athens Solstice." Steve has played at many regional events and also gained a reputation among enthusiastic college students as an incredible street performer with a vast repertoire of originals and tons of covers.
Having spent much of 1988 as a carpenter and NPR reporter in Petersburg, Alaska, Steve returned after grad school to live in Alaska from 1992 to 1997, discovering more locales he has come to cherish. He co-produced and contributed his song "Photosynthesis" to a 1992 Homer, Alaska, benefit recording, "Welcome The Spirit Green!" (collaborating with Jewel's father, Atz Kilcher, among others), before relocating to Juneau in 1993. Several years of state employment there led to the1995 recording and 1996 release of Steve's first CD, "Homecoming," featuring 13 originals and accompaniment by nine Juneau musicians. Positive feedback led in turn to Steve's growing sense of confidence that dedicated musicianship and inspired songwriting are central to his life purpose, and in July 1997 he left Alaska to pursue musical opportunities in the lower 48.
Living again in Athens, Ohio, since September 1997, Steve has released three solo acoustic performance collections displaying his visionary gift for creating hopeful music blending eloquent positive imagery, catchy melodies and intricate guitar parts: "Invisible Campfires" (2002, 14 songs), "Jewel Of The Hocking" (2005, 4 songs live) and "Blowing On Embers," (2006, 13 songs). In early 2003 The Local Girls, a nationally-known Southeast Ohio-based singing group, included Steve's song, "Jewel Of The Hocking," on "Four Year Heaven," a CD of songs honoring Athens and Ohio University. Steve was named an Ohio Valley Regional Co-Finalist in the 2007 Mountain Stage NewSong Contest, garnering much praise for performances of “Invisible Campfires” and “Cell Phone Song” at a contest event in on 7/21/07. In 2007, Steve had his fullest performance schedule to date, with 80+ performances and steady engagements in Athens, Logan and Nelsonville, Ohio, and Parkersburg, West Virginia.
Cell Phone Song
Steve..I apologize for not sending that video by now. Our computer blew and we had to borrow another until we get it fixed. We should have that taken care of by the beginning of next week and will send it to you then. The only part I dont like about the second video is that I am in it too much :) I also made the channel 3 west virginia news that day. They took a short clip of me leaning out the train window and asked me to take a drink of my beer so I downed the whole 2 ozs. ttys
Hi Steve. The Choo Choo was fun wasnt it? You and Rusty made it more fun. I posted the 2nd version in my videos and we are working on cutting the 1st version. talk to ya later
Hey Steve! I'm so glad you have the Ballad of Harvey Milk up on your page! That's my FAVORITE song! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I'm hoping to plan a trip out your way when it gets warm again. Much love!
good to hear i havent seen you on court in forever! i moved and not i'm living on stimson didnt move far i moved about a block ha but yeah i never have to walk down by union any more b.c i live on the other side of town but if you'll be out and about tonight i'll try to make it down hope all is well :)
Steve How are you? I'm playing at the Galley in Marietta this Saturday at 9pm www. thegalleymarietta. com Will you be able to make it? I'd love to see you there! btw, I posted a new song with Tim O'Brien and Dirk Powell for free download on my site. My blog talks about the tune a bit too. Hope all is well Sincerely, Todd
