Artist description Steve is first of all a songwriter, with a strong emphasis on melody composition.......... Although he listens to all kinds of things, his own aesthetic is built from classic country, soul and rock building blocks. He's all about high art, but he would never make such a mistake as thinking that Sonic Youth or Yes was even in the same league with Merle Haggard or Howlin' Wolf.............. Alone or with a posse, Stevie Cat can raise a high art hillbilly blues, or a more sensitive Brian Wilson lament.................. Often, Steve steers to catchy blasts of iconoclastic humor. Then sometimes, he goes straight to the lone-voice-on-the-mountainside mode. (He likes Bob Dylan a LOT.) [Steven on Dylan: "Great marketing!"]................And then sometimes, he just gets freaky...

Music Style soul, college/alternative, country, children's experimental

Musical Influences Stephen Foster, Cheap Trick, George and Ira Gershwin, Loretta Lynn, War, Roy Acuff ('Wreck on the Highway'), Captain Beefheart, Frank Sinatra, Dolly Parton, Hank Williams Sr, Public Enemy, SSgt Barry Sadler, Prince, Porter Wagoner, Vanilla Ice

Similar Artists Elvis Presley/Costello, Richard Thompson, Johnny Cash, Terence Trent D'Arby, Ben Folds, Harold Arlen, Howlin' Wolf, Sinead O'Connor, Merle Haggard, Sly and the Family Stone, Tom T Hall, The Clash

Artist History After a childhood spent being groomed to become an evangelist, Steve heard his first Beatles record and -shall we say- took a left turn..............He has written hundreds of songs, obsessively compiling reams of song lyrics and chord progressions, and reels of song demos............. Along the way, Steve with or without a band has played hundreds of coffee shops and bars and such............. Steve has released a couple of independent recordings, including the ep 'Just Trying to Help Out Society'

Group Members There have been numerous altruists, but the main home boy, the most selfless Altruist of them all must be Jeff Henson. Though he is loyal to the Barger family (kind of a Luca Brasi thing), most people find Jeff to be brutal and ill-tempered. In short, he does not work and play well with others. Childhood friend of the Barger clan, Jeffy is an intemperate redneck hothead who can, in the immortal words of Chuck Berry, play a guitar just like a-ringin' a bell.................. He can also lay a jack handle upside some bar owner's head just like a-beatin' a chump if they get funny with the money. In short, Jeff's the one we call when somebody needs a good old fashioned Hank Jr 'attitude adjustment.' Jeffy has just come online, in the words of George Jones he's now a "high tech redneck" You can write him at guitarman@flashmail.com ............ A special shout out must also be given to Marion Fetcher, recording engineer and a fine guitar player in his own right. (Check out his fluid, jazzy leads on 'Fluffy and the Spook Tree')

Albums Just Trying to Help Out Society, Mud Pies for Mommy, Love Song demos, Fall 99 demos

Press Reviews This experiMENTAL Singer-Songwriter matches wits with the foundations of music. His four-track science projects jump-cut from melody to screeching obliteration to the sounds of a bent carousel and psychedelic kiddie-sing-alongs. (www.listen.com)........"Steve is the greatest thing since sliced bread." Howard Barger (Steve's father).................."Steven is the greatest composer in the history of music" Edith Hollar - (Steve's mommy)...........

Additional Info Also, DO please take a minute to check out our homepage at www.morethings.com/mp3, which has more mp3 files that are not available here, lead sheets, and who knows what groovy extras you might find.

Location Laurel, IN - USA

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