Steve Palmer
From Here To Nashville
With more than 35 years experience as a working musician, you could call Steve Palmer a “road-survivor”. If so, he’s a thriving one- still playing live, still touring, and now starting on a new career as a songwriter with his first original CD , “From Here To Nashville”.
“The longer I keep doing this, the more I enjoy it. I’m like the Charlton Heston of folk singers -they’ll have to pry my guitar from my dead fingers. Still smoking, I hope”.
The CD (recorded in Edmonton) contains 8 catchy originals, probably best classified as Roots or Alt-Country. Backed by old friends and past members of various bands, the album has been getting airplay on university and alternate radio stations.
Sometimes compared to Hoyt Axton, Leonard Cohen, or John Prine, Steve lists Doc Watson, Mississippi John Hurt, and Fats Waller as major influences. “But I’m always listening to new stuff, Celtic (Dervish), Bluegrass (Jerusalem Ridge, John Reischman), or Jazz. I’ve got an album by an old friend, Nanaimo guitarist Pat Coleman, that totally amazes me.”
Originally set on a career as a guitarist, Steve suddenly became a singing guitarist when their teenage front man passed out in their first set at a frat party. “I discovered I had a memory for lyrics which has continued to this day. I know literally 100’s of songs, which has saved my life on more than one occasion.”
With summer tours planned for Western Canada and the Yukon, Steve has already appeared at several folk clubs in BC and Alberta as a warm up and as a feature performer, backing himself on 6 and 12 string guitars.
(a little bit of history)
The Warp Factor (Edmonton) - 1967 & 1968
This was my first professional band and the beginning of an attitude and style that defines me to this day. I 'cut my teeth' on life with these guys.
My first line up consisted of Ken Chalmers (drums), Ed Kilbride (vocals), myself (bass), Al Dunbar (guitar) and Larry Chalmers (guitar).
I replaced Brian Jerry in April 1967. Derry Stewart (son of Stu Davis) replaced Al Dunbar in October 1967 and Steve Palmer replaced Derry in December 1967. Dwayne Zelles replaced Kenny Chalmers in December 1967.
The band was purely psychadelic with Al, rough and ready with Derry and country rock with Steve and Dwayne.
There is one early recording with Steve. There was an acetate but it was never pressed or released. It was a Mose Allison song with a Steve Palmer original on the B side.
I quit in December 1968 to start a band with Derry.
(from Bob Walker - Music History)
