Bluegrass musician Randy Steele, hailing from Bradley County, Tennessee, found himself immersed in music from a tender age, owing to his proximity to the borders of North Georgia and North Carolina. His early exposure to music was facilitated by his father, a lifelong Pentecostal preacher and pastor, as well as his mother, who spent her youth traversing different churches, lending her voice to the Henson Family’s melodic endeavors.
During his formative years in the mid-1990s, Steele’s trajectory intersected with the burgeoning Jam band scene, largely due to his association with his uncle Paul Henson, who embarked on tours and recorded with the renowned rock band Aquarium Rescue Unit. Inspired by this exposure, Randy himself initiated a musical journey, touring with a band and delving into the study of Jazz Guitar at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville for a period. However, a subsequent hiatus from music ensued, as he temporarily set aside his musical pursuits, choosing instead to pursue a career as a firefighter in the Chattanooga Fire Department. Concurrently, he embarked on a new chapter in his personal life, getting married and establishing a settled existence. Steele candidly admits, “Although I continued to engage in constant songwriting, I surmised that my days as a musician were largely behind me.”
Subsequently, as a career firefighter seeking solace within the firehouse, Randy sought a means of decompression and serendipitously stumbled upon the banjo. In his quest to while away the hours, he dedicated himself to mastering the Scruggs style of banjo playing.
A few years later, in 2008, he emerged as the frontman for the Slim Pickins Bluegrass Band, igniting his foray into the realm of performance. The band embarked on a transformative journey, dwelling in Belgium for a month and captivating audiences across Europe. However, the band gradually transitioned into a more localized presence, their performances centered predominantly around select shows within the Chattanooga area, owing to the demands imposed by professional commitments and familial responsibilities.
Steele’s solo aspirations began to burgeon with the release of his 2016 album, Songs from the Suck, which was recorded at the FAME studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. This marked the inception of his ventures into light solo touring, both individually and as part of a trio. The subsequent year, 2018, witnessed the release of his EP, Moccasin Bender, which earned him the Independent Music Award for Bluegrass ‘Song of the Year’ with his remarkable composition “Mobile Soon” (coupled with a nomination for Bluegrass Album of the Year). Furthermore, his compositional skill earned him a finalist spot in the Newsong Music LEAF Songwriting Competition.
During the course of 2019, Steele’s ardent commitment to his craft manifested in a relentless pursuit of the road, encompassing an astonishing tally of 90 shows spanning 17 states and 47 cities. Tragically, the global upheaval wrought by the 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic compelled him to abruptly halt his touring endeavors. Nonetheless, amidst the prevailing chaos, Randy tenaciously maintained his creative momentum, continuing to write and record music.
He emerged from the clutches of the pandemic with a promising prospect, an original album, meticulously crafted under the expert guidance of Darrell Scott, assuming the roles of producer and guitarist. Anticipated for release in 2024, this forthcoming album harbors a collection of exquisitely captivating compositions. Steele, however, acknowledges his dual artistic inclinations, navigating the realms of both bluegrass and banjo, while concurrently nurturing his songwriting process.
The dawn of 2021 materialized as a springboard for Randy Steele’s resumption of his musical odyssey. He embarked on a spring tour across South Carolina, followed by a summer teeming with performances, both in full band arrangements and as a solo act. Steele conveys his yearning to rekindle his affinity for traditional bluegrass, surmising that his experiences touring as part of a trio inspired him to conceive a bluegrass ensemble founded upon the blueprint of his aforementioned touring configuration. Henceforth, High Cold Wind came into being, encapsulating Randy’s aspiration for musical reinvention within the bluegrass realm.
Throughout his multifaceted musical endeavors over the years, encompassing his solo pursuits, collaborations with High Cold Wind, and his involvement with Slim Pickins Bluegrass, Randy Steele has shared stages and garnered accolades alongside an illustrious array of performers. Among them are luminaries such as Sam Bush, Darrell Scott, Steep Canyon Rangers, Kitchen Dwellers, Infamous Stringdusters, Nick Lutsko, IIIrd Tyme Out, Little River Band, Jack Pearson, Malcolm Holcomb, Roger Alan Wade, Nicholas Edward Williams, Lew Card, The Deer, and an array of other extraordinary talents.
(headline image: Randy Steele – Photo by Mandy Rhoden)
Author: Douglas Sanders
