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Steve Wariner

May 18, 2023

Steven Noel Wariner (born December 25, 1954) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Initially a backing musician for Dottie West, he also worked with Bob Luman and Chet Atkins before beginning a solo career in the late 1970s. He has released eighteen studio albums and over fifty singles for several different record labels.

Steve Wariner
Wariner in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, 2019
Born
Steven Noel Wariner

(1954-12-25) December 25, 1954 (age 68)[1]
Noblesville, Indiana, U.S.
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • guitarist
  • record producer
Years active1973–present
Spouse
Caryn Severs
​
(m. 1987)​
Children2
Musical career
GenresCountry[1]
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • acoustic guitar
  • electric guitar
Labels
Websitestevewariner.com

Wariner experienced his greatest chart successes in the 1980s, recording first for RCA Records Nashville and then MCA Nashville. While on these labels he sent a number of singles into the top ten of the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts and received favorable critical reception for the amount of creative control he held over his body of work. Upon moving to Arista Nashville in 1991 he had his most commercially successful album I Am Ready, his first to be certified gold, but followups were less successful. After a period of commercial downfall, he experienced a second wave of success in the late 1990s which was spurred by co-writing the number-one singles "Longneck Bottle" by Garth Brooks and "Nothin' but the Taillights" by Clint Black. These songs led to him signing with Capitol Records Nashville and achieving two more gold albums with Burnin' the Roadhouse Down and Two Teardrops by decade's end. While his commercial success once again dwindled after these albums, he has continued to record independently on his own SelecTone label.

Ten of Wariner's singles have reached the number-one position on the Hot Country Songs charts: "All Roads Lead to You", "Some Fools Never Learn", "You Can Dream of Me", "Life's Highway", "Small Town Girl", "The Weekend", "Lynda", "Where Did I Go Wrong", "I Got Dreams", and "What If I Said" (a duet with Anita Cochran). Wariner holds several writing credits for both himself and other artists, and has collaborated with Nicolette Larson, Glen Campbell, Diamond Rio, Brad Paisley, Asleep at the Wheel, and Mark O'Connor among others. He has also won four Grammy Awards: one for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals, and three for Best Country Instrumental. In addition to these he has won three Country Music Association awards and one Academy of Country Music award, and is a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Wariner's musical style is defined by his lead guitar work, lyrical content, and stylistic diversity.

Early life

Steven Noel Wariner was born on December 25, 1954, in Noblesville, Indiana,[1] but grew up in Russell Springs, Kentucky.[2] As a teenager, Wariner taught himself how to play several instruments, including acoustic guitar, bass guitar, drums, banjo, and steel guitar.[3] Wariner performed locally in his father Roy Wariner's band, drawing influence from musical acts his father listened to such as George Jones and Chet Atkins.[1] When Wariner was 17, country singer Dottie West heard him performing at the Nashville Country Club in Indianapolis and recruited him to play bass guitar in her road band. Wariner completed his education through a correspondence course with his local high school, and went on to play in West's band for three years;[3] he also played on her 1973 single "Country Sunshine".[1]

Wariner also began writing songs at this point, and West attempted to secure him a record label contract by submitting demos of his work, but was unsuccessful.[3] He then left West's road band to put a greater focus on songwriting, and began touring with Bob Luman after he cut some of Wariner's songs.[4][3] While in recording sessions with Luman, Wariner encountered guitarist Paul Yandell, who was also working for Atkins at the time.[3] Yandell submitted some of Wariner's demos to Atkins, who was also vice-president of RCA Records Nashville at the time and was thus able to sign Wariner to a contract in 1976.[2]

Musical career

1978–1984: RCA Records

 
Chet Atkins, one of Wariner's major musical influences, helped him sign to RCA Records in 1976.

His first single release for RCA was "I'm Already Taken",[5] a song that Wariner co-wrote. It peaked at number 63 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts in 1978. This was followed by five more chart singles, none of which appeared on an album at the time due to their limited success.[6] These singles were primarily covers of songs by other artists, including Charley Pride's "The Easy Part's Over".[7][8][9] Record World magazine published a positive review of this cover, which stated that it was a "slow, sad ballad" in which "Wariner continues to show a whole lotta vocal talent."[10] Atkins also hired Wariner to be a bassist in his road band,[11] which led to a nomination by the Academy of Country Music for Bassist of the Year in 1979.[12] Also, Atkins served as his record producer on his first single releases, but later encouraged him to find a different one.[11] As a result, "The Easy Part's Over" was instead produced by Tom Collins,[10] known for also producing Ronnie Milsap and Sylvia.[4]

His first major chart hit came in 1980 when "Your Memory" ascended to the number seven position on the country charts.[7][2] Due to the song's success, Atkins fired Wariner from his band.[11] "Your Memory" was the first of six singles from his self-titled debut album, which was also produced by Collins.[1][4] After it came his first number-one single, 1981's "All Roads Lead to You", followed by the top 15 hit "Kansas City Lights". Both of these songs were written by Kye Fleming and Dennis Morgan.[7] The album's last two singles, "Don't It Break Your Heart" and "Don't Plan on Sleeping Tonight", fared less successfully on the charts.[7] Al Campbell of AllMusic stated that Wariner's "sophisticated country-pop sound was already perfected, and it showed by the quality of the material."[13] In 1980, the Academy of Country Music nominated Wariner for Top New Male Vocalist.[12]

RCA released his second studio album Midnight Fire in 1983. Tony Brown and Norro Wilson co-produced the album except for the last two tracks, for which Collins stayed on as producer. Contributing songwriters included Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, Jerry Fuller, and Richard Leigh.[14] The closing track was a duet with Barbara Mandrell on a cover of Mickey Gilley's 1975 hit "Overnight Sensation", which also appeared on Mandrell's 1983 album Spun Gold.[14][15] Wariner said that he chose to switch producers as a means of introducing more uptempo material, and both Wilson and Brown were working for RCA at the time.[16] The lead single "Don't Your Memory Ever Sleep at Night" faltered on the country charts, but the title track was more successful, reaching a peak of number five.[7] Following this was a cover of Luman's 1972 hit "Lonely Women Make Good Lovers",[16] which in early 1984 matched the original version's Hot Country Songs peak of number four.[7][17] The album's next two singles, "Why Goodbye" and "Don't You Give Up on Love", were less successful.[7] Joy Lynn Stewart of the Red Deer Advocate praised Wariner's "fine, textured vocals" along with the combination of upbeat songs and ballads.[18]

1984–1987: MCA Nashville

When Wariner's contract ended in 1984, he chose to follow Brown to MCA Nashville.[6] His first album for the label was 1985's One Good Night Deserves Another, which Brown co-produced with Jimmy Bowen. The album included three singles: the top-ten hits "What I Didn't Do" and "Heart Trouble", and his second number-one hit "Some Fools Never Learn".[7] The Academy of Country Music nominated "Some Fools Never Learn" for Song of the Year in 1985,[19][12] and Wariner later remarked that he considered it his favorite single.[20] In the process of making the album, Wariner said that Brown and Bowen allowed him more control in the creative process than previous producers, by asking him to find his own material and then explain to them why he liked each song that he had chosen. The song selection process also allowed for a number of songwriters not typically found on albums of the era. These writers included Dave Gibson, Ronnie Rogers, Wood Newton, Paul Overstreet, and Steve Earle.[6] Stewart wrote that "Wariner takes a fresh approach to traditional country and melds a unique, winning style", highlighting the ballad "You Can't Cut Me Any Deeper" and the "grand pace" of "Your Love Has Got a Hold on Me" in particular.[21]

His next album, Life's Highway (1986), produced two consecutive number-one Hot Country Songs peaks: "You Can Dream of Me" and the title track. This was followed by the number four "Starting Over Again". Wariner co-wrote five songs on the album including "You Can Dream of Me", which he wrote with John Hall, then of the band Orleans. As with the previous album, Bowen and Brown requested that he have input on song selection and production processes; one such decision made by Wariner was not to have a string section on the album because he would not be able to include one in a live setting.[22] Al Campbell of AllMusic reviewed the album favorably, stating that it "showed him moving into a more mature musical direction. The best moments here outshine anything Wariner had recorded up to that point".[23] In between the releases of "Life's Highway" and "Starting Over Again", he was also a duet vocalist on Nicolette Larson's "That's How You Know When Love's Right",[7] which was nominated for that year's Vocal Event of the Year from the Country Music Association.[24] Wariner gained further exposure in this timespan for singing the theme to the television sitcom Who's the Boss?, which used his rendition from 1986 to 1990.[25]

 
 
In addition to his own material, Wariner sang duets with Nicolette Larson (left) and Glen Campbell (right) in the late 1980s.

Overlapping with his first two MCA albums, RCA promoted two compilations of material. The first of these was a Greatest Hits album, issued in 1985.[26] The following year, RCA compiled eight previously-unreleased songs into an album titled Down in Tennessee.[19] RCA also issued promotional singles from each compilation: "When We're Together" from Greatest Hits,[27] and "You Make It Feel So Right", a duet with Carol Chase, from Down in Tennessee.[28][29] Also featured on Down in Tennessee was an instrumental track called "Sano Scat". Ron Chalmers of the Edmonton Journal gave Down in Tennessee a mixed review, finding Wariner's vocals stronger on the ballads than on the uptempo material.[28] His next MCA release was 1987's It's a Crazy World, which was his first to be issued on compact disc.[20] The title track was written by Mac McAnally, who originally had a pop hit with it in 1977.[30] All three of its singles topped the Hot Country Songs charts: "Small Town Girl", "The Weekend", and "Lynda".[7] In between "The Weekend" and "Lynda", Wariner was also a guest vocalist on Glen Campbell's top-ten hit "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle".[7] This song accounted for Wariner's first Grammy Award nomination in 1987, in the then-new category of Best Country Collaboration with Vocals.[24][31] Also in 1987 he was nominated by the Academy of Country Music for Top Male Vocalist.[12] Tom Roland of AllMusic reviewed It's a Crazy World positively, stating that "Wariner's in charge vocally, and seems to glide through the album effortlessly. He's received more responsibility for his own direction, and—with one or two exceptions— has upgraded every aspect of his record, particularly in song selection and musicianship."[32] Wariner supported It's a Crazy World through a headlining tour that also featured Hank Williams Jr.[20]

1988–1990: End of MCA years

In 1988, Wariner issued I Should Be with You, his fourth release for MCA. It accounted for the top-ten singles "Baby I'm Yours", "I Should Be with You", and "Hold On (A Little Longer)".[7] Wariner noted that the album contained a more country rock influence than its predecessors, particularly in the selection of session musicians such as Leland Sklar and Russ Kunkel, as well as Little Feat cofounder Bill Payne.[33] The album continued Wariner's trend of writing his own material, as he wrote or co-wrote all three singles and three other songs on the album;[34] he also co-produced for the first time, doing so with Bowen.[33] I Should Be with You received a positive review from Cash Box magazine which stated that it was "a tightly crafted package, showcasing both contemporary and traditional country tunes."[35] Wariner supported the album in 1988 by touring with Reba McEntire.[34]

I Got Dreams, also co-produced by Wariner and Bowen, followed in 1989.[33] Wariner wrote nine out of ten songs on the album, with collaborators such as McAnally, Roger Murrah, Mike Reid, and husband-and-wife duo Bill LaBounty and Beckie Foster.[36] McAnally and LaBounty both sang backing vocals on the album, with the former also contributing on acoustic guitar and percussion.[37] At the time of the album's release, Wariner noted that the chart success and positive fan reception of "I Should Be with You" inspired a continual growth in his songwriting. He also observed that, while he had not received strong record sales or industry awards, radio performance of his singles inspired him to "make the best records".[36] I Got Dreams charted three singles on Hot Country Songs in 1989: "Where Did I Go Wrong" and the title track both went to number one, followed by "When I Could Come Home to You" at number five.[7] The Ottawa Citizen writer Susan Beyer reviewed the album with favor, stating that "the more control Wariner gets over his recordings, the better they get...the sounds run the gamut, but elegantly, from acoustic country to rock-edged to adult contemporary."[38]

Wariner released two albums in 1990, the first of which was Laredo. It accounted for three charted singles: "The Domino Theory", "Precious Thing", and "There for Awhile".[7] LaBounty and Foster wrote "The Domino Theory", while Wariner co-wrote "Precious Thing" with McAnally. Production duties on the album were split, with Garth Fundis and Randy Scruggs producing three tracks each, and Tony Brown returning to produce the other four.[39] Marc Rice of the Associated Press called Laredo a "safe, likeable album", praising the clarity of the production along with the "clever" lyrics of "The Domino Theory".[40] Kay Knight of Cash Box magazine stated that "Wariner shows us a very basic and intimate look at his music and his life...this project should definitely bring Wariner into the spotlight of country radio."[41] His second release in 1990, and final for MCA, was the Christmas album Christmas Memories. In the process of recording the album, Wariner said that he wanted it to have a "timeless" feel. It included traditional Christmas songs such as "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!", "Do You Hear What I Hear?", three original songs written by Wariner, and collaborations with The Chieftains on renditions of "Past Three O'Clock" and "I Saw Three Ships".[42] Wariner promoted the album through a radio special titled Steve Wariner's Acoustic Christmas, which also featured Emmylou Harris and Mike Reid.[43] A year later, he performed in a television special on The Nashville Network also titled Christmas Memories which featured selections from the album.[44]

While his tenure with MCA was ending, Wariner contributed to two cuts on Mark O'Connor's 1991 album The New Nashville Cats. The first was a cover of Carl Perkins' "Restless". It featured O'Connor on fiddle, with Wariner, Vince Gill, and Ricky Skaggs alternating on lead vocals and guitar. A number 25 entry on Hot Country Songs,[45] it won all four artists that year's Vocal Event of the Year award from the Country Music Association,[46] along with Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals.[31] Wariner also co-wrote, sang, and played guitar on "Now It Belongs to You", another cut from the album which also made the country charts.[45]

1991–1996: Arista Nashville

Wariner left MCA amicably in 1991 and signed with Arista Nashville later that same year.[47] His debut for the label was 1991's I Am Ready, which was produced by Tim DuBois and Scott Hendricks.[48] The album's title came from a song that he had selected but ultimately chose not to include on the album, calling it "left field".[25] The lead-off single, "Leave Him Out of This", achieved a top-ten peak on Hot Country Songs list in early 1992.[7] It was followed by a cover of "The Tips of My Fingers", which was written and originally recorded by Bill Anderson in 1960 and was also a hit for Roy Clark in 1963.[49][50] Wariner's version, featuring a backing vocal from Vince Gill,[51] was the album's most successful single. It achieved a Hot Country Songs peak of number three in 1992,[7] and the number-one position of the country music charts published by Radio & Records.[52] The next single "A Woman Loves" also went into the top ten, but followups "Crash Course in the Blues" (featuring O'Connor on fiddle[53]) and "Like a River to the Sea" were less successful.[7]

 
Wariner had a hit with a cover of Bill Anderson's "The Tips of My Fingers"; the two would later write Bryan White's 1997 hit "One Small Miracle" and Wariner's own singles: "Two Teardrops" and "Faith in You".

I Am Ready was met with largely positive critical reception. Brian Mansfield reviewed the album favorably on AllMusic, stating that "Wariner, a master of the subtle touch, builds this album's impact quietly and methodically", highlighting the vocal and instrumental performances on the singles in particular.[53] Alanna Nash of Entertainment Weekly rated the album "B−", concluding her review with "if Wariner lacks a zippy repertoire, he nearly makes up for it with believable readings and deft vocal shadings".[54] Jay Brakfield of the Dallas Morning News thought that the album had "contemporary lyrics" and "shows a more aggressive Wariner. He's doing the same thing, but now he's doing it better and doing more of it."[50] I Am Ready became Wariner's first album to receive a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of 500,000 copies in the United States.[55] The corresponding tours for I Am Ready were the most commercially successful of his career to this point.[24] In late 1991, the Takamine guitar corporation issued a limited-edition acoustic guitar model named after Wariner.[44]

His second album for Arista Nashville was 1993's Drive. Its lead single was the top-ten "If I Didn't Love You". After it came the Top 30 hits "Drivin' and Cryin'" and "It Won't Be Over You", while the album's title track stopped at No. 63.[7] Wariner told Cash Box magazine that he intended for the album to be representative of the energy present in his live shows.[56] He also wanted it to be more upbeat than I Am Ready, which he felt contained too many ballads.[24] Once again, Jarvis, Gill, and McAnally were among the musicians contributing; bluegrass singer Carl Jackson co-wrote and sang harmony on "The Same Mistake Again", while electric guitarist Brent Mason and steel guitarist Paul Franklin played on "It Won't Be Over You".[57] He promoted the album throughout 1993 with a tour comprising the United States and Canada, sponsored by General Motors Canada. Also featured on the tour were Toby Keith, Larry Stewart, and Canadian country singer Cassandra Vasik.[56] Despite the success of the lead single, DuBois (who was then the president of Arista Nashville) observed that the album sold poorly due to negative reception of the following singles by radio programmers.[55] Patrick Davitt of The Leader-Post rated the album 3 out of 5 stars, praising the lyrics and arrangements of "It Won't Be Over You" and "Drivin' and Cryin'" as well as the "simpler country tunes" "(You Could Always) Come Back" and "The Same Mistake Again", but criticizing "If I Didn't Love You" as "repetitive" and several other album cuts for their "unbearably thick and heavy" sound.[57]

Although he did not release any albums in 1994 and 1995, he appeared on collaborative works in the timespan. The first was Mama's Hungry Eyes: A Tribute to Merle Haggard, on which he joined then-labelmates Diamond Rio and Lee Roy Parnell on a cover of Merle Haggard's "Workin' Man Blues". Credited to "Jed Zeppelin", this rendition was also made into a music video,[58] and charted at number 48 on Hot Country Songs.[59] A year later, he contributed a cover of The Beatles' "Get Back" to the compilation Come Together: America Salutes the Beatles.[60]

An instrumental album, No More Mr. Nice Guy, followed in 1996. Wariner told Guitar Player magazine that he had wanted to record an instrumental album for much of his career, but had considerable difficulty in getting permission from his labels: MCA executives would only allow him to do one instrumental song on an album, while he had to "beg and plead" Arista to allow him a full album.[61] No More Mr. Nice Guy included various country and bluegrass musicians such as Atkins, O'Connor, McAnally, Gill, Sam Bush, Béla Fleck, and Diamond Rio lead guitarist Jimmy Olander; it also included folk guitarist Leo Kottke and Bon Jovi lead guitarist Richie Sambora, and a spoken-word intro by Major League Baseball player Nolan Ryan.[62] While the project produced no singles, the track "Brickyard Boogie" (featuring Jeffrey Steele, Bryan White, Bryan Austin, and Derek George) was nominated for Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance in 1997.[63][31] Chuck Hamilton of Country Standard Time noted the variety of musical styles present on the album, concluding that "if you appreciate good guitar playing by some of the best in the business, this one's a good pick."[64] Also in 1996, Wariner was made a member of the Grand Ole Opry.[65]

1997–2001: Capitol Records

Wariner began writing songs for other artists in the late 1990s per the suggestion of his wife, Caryn, who also ran his publishing company and fan club. She had suggested doing so following the diminishing success of his previous albums.[66] He wrote two songs that topped the Hot Country Songs charts between late 1997 and early 1998: "Longneck Bottle" by Garth Brooks (which also featured Wariner on background vocals and lead guitar at Brooks's request[66]) and "Nothin' but the Taillights" by Clint Black; Bryan White also had a top-20 hit in this timespan with "One Small Miracle", which Wariner wrote with Bill Anderson.[1][67] In addition to these, Wariner sang duet vocals on Anita Cochran's single "What If I Said". In early 1998, this song became not only Wariner's tenth number-one single on Hot Country Songs chart, but also his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching number 59.[7] According to Wariner, some radio stations played these four songs consecutively, a move which he felt helped draw greater attention to his body of work.[67] Based on the success of these songs, Wariner expressed interest in issuing another album, but said that Arista Nashville executives were reluctant to do so after the commercial failure of Drive and No More Mr. Nice Guy. In response, Brooks suggested that Wariner terminate his contract and sign with another label. In January 1998, Wariner underwent negotiations with multiple labels including Giant Records and Asylum Records before choosing Capitol Records Nashville, to which Brooks was also signed at the time.[68]

 
Garth Brooks recorded Wariner's composition "Longneck Bottle" in 1997; the two collaborated again on "Burnin' the Roadhouse Down" and "Katie Wants a Fast One".

His first Capitol album, Burnin' the Roadhouse Down, came out in April 1998. Leading off the album was the single "Holes in the Floor of Heaven", which spent two weeks at the number two position on Hot Country Songs. The album's other singles were its title track (a duet with Brooks), "Road Trippin'", and "Every Little Whisper".[7] Wariner wrote or co-wrote and produced every song on the album except for "What If I Said", which was included as a bonus track due to its earlier success.[69] Country Standard Time published a mixed review of the album, praising most of Wariner's lyrics while criticizing the title track as "predictably sappy".[70] Thom Owens of AllMusic wrote of the album that "His music may not be as fresh as it was in the early '80s, when he was at the beginning of his career, but he's become a masterful craftsman, and that's why the album shines."[71] By year's end, Burnin' the Roadhouse Down had become Wariner's second gold album.[72] "Holes in the Floor of Heaven" won the 1998 Song of the Year award from the Academy of Country Music (where he also received Song of the Year and Video of the Year nominations for the same song), and Vocal Event of the Year nominations for both "What If I Said" and "Burnin' the Roadhouse Down".[12] In addition, "Holes in the Floor of Heaven" received the 1998 Country Music Association awards for both Single of the Year and Song of the Year,[73] and was nominated in the 1998 Grammy Awards for both Best Male Country Vocal Performance and Best Country Song.[31]

Wariner's second album for Capitol was Two Teardrops. Released in 1999, it was certified gold as well.[5] It produced only two singles: its title track, which Wariner co-wrote with Bill Anderson, and a re-recording of his debut single "I'm Already Taken". Respectively, these reached numbers two and three on the Hot Country Songs charts that year; they were also successful on the Hot 100, where they respectively reached numbers 30 and 42.[7] Once again, Wariner produced the album himself. His brother Terry provided background vocals on "I'm Already Taken", and son Ryan played guitar on "So Much".[74] The album also included a duet with Bryan White on "Talk to Her Heart" and an instrumental called "The Harry Shuffle".[75] Nash rated the album "B", stating that "he continues to shape his persona as the hopeful but dashed romantic, and veers from country lopers to affecting philosophical ruminations. But in serving as his own producer, he fails to get his stronger emotions off the page."[76] Owens said of the album that "It may not be the stunner Burnin' the Roadhouse Down was, but Two Teardrops proves that Wariner can continue to make winners."[77] In addition to this, Wariner was one of several musicians contributing to "Bob's Breakdown", a song from Asleep at the Wheel's 1999 album Ride with Bob.[78] The same year, he received a second Grammy Award out of three nominations: both "The Harry Shuffle" and "Bob's Breakdown" were nominated for Best Country Instrumental Performance, with the latter winning that award, while "Two Teardrops" was nominated for Best Country Song.[31] By the end of the 1990s, Wariner had also played lead guitar on albums by Bryan White, Lila McCann, and Collin Raye.[65]

His last Capitol Nashville album was 2000's Faith in You, which charted its title track (also co-written by Anderson) and "Katie Wants a Fast One", another duet with Brooks.[7] Faith in You once again featured Ryan, this time as a lead guitarist on the closing instrumental "Bloodlines", and his other son Ross on "High Time". In addition to his usual guitar work, Wariner also contributed on lap steel guitar, mandolin, and the papoose (a higher-strung guitar manufactured by Tacoma Guitars).[79] "Bloodlines" accounted for another Best Country Instrumental Performance nomination at the 2000 Grammy Awards.[31] William Ruhlmann reviewed the album favorably in AllMusic, stating that it was "another consistent, craftsman-like effort from an artist who has made the most of his second chance in country music."[80] Also in 2000, Wariner co-wrote, played lead guitar, and sang duet vocals on Clint Black's 2000 single "Been There" from his album D'lectrified;[7] one year later, Keith Urban had a top-five hit with "Where the Blacktop Ends", which Wariner wrote with Allen Shamblin.[81] Wariner's contract with Capitol ended when the label's president Pat Quigley exited.[82]

2003–present: SelecTone

In 2003, Wariner founded his own record label called SelecTone Records.[5][82] His first album for the label was Steal Another Day. It accounted for the charting singles in "I'm Your Man" and "Snowfall on the Sand".[7] Wariner recorded the album at a studio he had built behind his own house. In addition to its two singles, the album featured re-recordings of "Some Fools Never Learn", "You Can Dream of Me", "The Weekend", "Where Did I Go Wrong", and "Small Town Girl", along with "There Will Come a Day", a song that he wrote about his stepdaughter, Holly.[83] Wariner promoted the album with a concert at the 2003 Indiana State Fair; he also made appearances at Walmart stores around Indianapolis to promote the chain's childhood literacy program Words Are Your Wheels.[82] Wariner made an appearance at an 80th-anniversary celebration of the Grand Ole Opry in 2005, which included him and various other Opry members as part of a two-day concert.[84] He also performed with The Grascals at the 2006 International Bluegrass Music Association awards.[85]

In 2008, Wariner played guitar on two tracks from Brad Paisley's instrumental album Play: The Guitar Album: the multi-artist collaboration "Cluster Pluck", which won that year's Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental,[31][86] and "More Than Just This Song", which Wariner and Paisley co-wrote.[87] One year later, Wariner released the instrumental album My Tribute to Chet Atkins. The album's track "Producer's Medley" won him another Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance.[31] Jeff Tamarkin of AllMusic reviewed the album positively, stating that "Throughout the album, Wariner's guitar work is crisp, sharp and smart–he never attempts to imitate Atkins but he manages to embody him nonetheless."[88] For this album, Wariner referred to himself as "Steve Wariner, c.g.p.", indicating the title "certified guitar player" which Atkins had bestowed to guitarists whom he respected. Other guitarists to receive this title from Atkins include Tommy Emmanuel, John Knowles, Marcel Dadi, and Jerry Reed. Wariner promoted the album through special concerts in Nashville, whose proceeds were donated to the Chet Atkins Music Education Fund.[89]

Another instrumental album, Guitar Laboratory, followed in 2011. Contributors on the album included David Hungate, Aubrey Haynie, and Paul Yandell, along with Wariner's touring drummer Ron Gannaway and son Ross.[90] JP Tausig of Country Standard Time noted the variety of musical styles on the album, particularly a jazz influence on some tracks.[91] 2013's It Ain't All Bad returned Wariner to a vocal album after several instrumental ones. Chuck Yarborough of The Plain Dealer rated the album "A", noting rockabilly and bluegrass music influences on the album's sound, also highlighting the lyrics of "Arrows at Airplanes" and "Bluebonnet Memories".[92] Following in 2016 was All Over the Map, on which Wariner played guitar, drums, upright bass, and steel guitar. The album included a mix of instrumental and vocal tracks, among which was "When I Still Mattered to You", a track that he wrote with Merle Haggard in 1996. It also included a collaboration with Ricky Skaggs on "Down Sawmill Road".[93]

In 2019, Wariner was one of many artists inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum.[94]

Musical styles

William Ruhlmann of AllMusic wrote that "in the beginning, the low-tuned guitars and wide range of his singles brought frequent comparisons to the early Glen Campbell hits."[1] Richard Carlin of Country Music: A Biographical Dictionary similarly compared the RCA catalog to that of Glen Campbell, calling such songs "a pop-country backup that really wasn't suited to him". Carlin found the MCA albums more "progressive" and comparable to pop rock.[95] Thomas Goldsmith of The Tennessean noted that many of Wariner's mid-1980s hit singles were "personal, down-to-earth songs of daily life." He also wrote that by the release of Life's Highway, Wariner had developed a "leaner country style" compared to the "pop-oriented tunes" of his earlier days.[22] In a review of Faith in You also for AllMusic, Ruhlmann described Wariner's style by saying, "his abilities as a guitarist, understated but always apparent in the style of his mentor, Chet Atkins, provide a basic level of enjoyment no matter what else is going on."[80] Brian Wahlert of Country Standard Time stated that "most of the time he releases pleasant music that is neither offensive nor exciting."[96] Writing for the Dallas Morning News, Jay Brakefield contrasted Wariner's style with that of Vince Gill, saying that "like Gill, Wariner has a reputation as a superb guitar player and a teriffic vocalist."[50] Wariner noted that Atkins was influential in his early days as a recording artist, as Atkins encouraged Wariner to play his own lead guitar parts, and to emphasize the quality of a song over who wrote it.[97] Despite this, Wariner also said that he only chose to include his own guitar solos on songs where he felt that they were necessary.[22] Some of Wariner's songs employ scat singing over his solos, most notably "I Got Dreams".[95]

Wariner's guitar playing style includes fingerstyle guitar and classical guitar, both of which he claims were inspirations from the work of Jerry Reed.[61] In his early days when performing with Atkins, he recalls that Atkins would lend him a Gretsch guitar on which he was allowed to play solos.[61] Nash wrote of Wariner's vocal and lyrical style that "the majority of Wariner’s sweet-sad songs about lost opportunity forego front-page passion for little nuggets of long-term longing" and "his creamy tenor audibly caresses a lyric."[54] An article in The Los Angeles Times noted of Wariner's musical image in the 1990s that, unlike his peers, he did not wear a cowboy hat; the same article described him as "just plain good...Wariner has an angelic voice, some solid songs and a staggering facility on the guitar."[98] Many of his projects have been recorded in only one take, including Burnin' the Roadhouse Down,[24] the track "I Just Do" from Faith in You,[79] and the Atkins tribute album.[61]

Personal life

Wariner fathered his first son, Ryan, with Caryn Severs in 1984, although the two were not married at the time. After marrying in 1987, they had a second son, Ross.[99] He also has one stepdaughter, Holly, who was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes.[100] He has one sister, Barbara, and three brothers: Kenny, Dave, and Terry, the last of whom was a longtime member of his road band.[20] His mother Geneva Ilene Wariner died on June 19, 2012,[101] followed by his father, Roy Monroe Wariner, on July 7, 2017.[102]

For much of the 1980s, Wariner developed an interest in stage magic, and would often include magic acts as part of his concerts.[20] He also took up watercolor painting, and named his song "Like a River to the Sea" after one such painting.[56]

Discography

Main article: Steve Wariner discography
Studio albums

Awards and nominations

List of awards and nominations received by Steve Wariner, sorted by year

Year Association Category Work Result
1979 Academy of Country Music Bass Guitarist of the Year[12] — Nominated
1980 Top New Male Vocalist[12] Nominated
1985 Song of the Year "Some Fools Never Learn"[12] Nominated
1986 Country Music Association Vocal Duo of the Year "That's How You Know When Love's Right" (with Nicolette Larson)[24] Nominated
1987 Academy of Country Music Top Male Vocalist[12] — Nominated
Grammy Awards Best Country Collaboration with Vocals "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle" (with Glen Campbell)[31] Nominated
1991 Best Country Collaboration with Vocals "Restless" (with Mark O'Connor, Ricky Skaggs, and Vince Gill)[31] Won
Country Music Association Vocal Event of the Year[46] Won
1996 Grammy Awards Best Country Instrumental Performance "The Brickyard Boogie" (with Bryan Austin, Derek George, Jeffrey Steele, and Bryan White)[31] Nominated
1998 Best Male Country Vocal Performance[31] "Holes in the Floor of Heaven" Nominated
Best Country Song[31] Nominated
Academy of Country Music Vocal Event of the Year "What If I Said" (with Anita Cochran)[12] Nominated
"Burnin' the Roadhouse Down" (with Garth Brooks)[12] Nominated
Video of the Year[12] "Holes in the Floor of Heaven" Nominated
Single of the Year[12] Nominated
Song of the Year[12] Won
Country Music Association[73] Single of the Year Won
Song of the Year Won
1999 Grammy Awards Best Country Song "Two Teardrops"[31] Nominated
Best Country Instrumental Performance "The Harry Shuffle"[31] Nominated
"Bob's Breakdowns" (with Asleep at the Wheel)[31] Won
2000 "Bloodlines"[31] Nominated
2008 "Cluster Pluck" (with James Burton, Vince Gill, Albert Lee, John Jorgenson, Brent Mason, Brad Paisley, and Redd Volkaert)[31] Won
2009 "Producer's Medley"[31] Won

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h William Ruhlmann. "Steve Wariner biography". AllMusic. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c "Wariner a singing wizard". The Tennessean. February 1, 1981. p. 59. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d e Robert K. Oermann (September 28, 1982). "Steve Wariner hits #1 spot in hearts of country artists". The Tennessean. pp. 33, 36. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c Walter Carter (November 29, 1981). "Recent TV exposure gives singer 'airport recognition'". The Tennessean. p. 22. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  5. ^ a b c "Steve Wariner biography". oldies.com. Retrieved February 17, 2009.
  6. ^ a b c Robert K. Oermann (April 20, 1985). "'Orphan Boy' Wariner finally finds a home". The Tennessean. pp. 1D, 3D. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Whitburn, Joel (2017). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2017. Record Research, Inc. pp. 384–385. ISBN 978-0-89820-229-8.
  8. ^ Whitburn, pp. 288-289
  9. ^ Ed Morris (July 26, 1980). "One out of 5 songs on singles chart is oldie". Billboard. p. 31.
  10. ^ a b "Country Single Picks" (PDF). Record World: 64. June 21, 1980.
  11. ^ a b c Craig Shelburne (September 19, 2019). "Steve Wariner Considers Himself a Musician First". CMT. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Search results for Steve Wariner". Academy of Country Music. Retrieved October 23, 2019. Type "Steve Wariner" in the "Winner/Nominee Name" field and click "Search".
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  38. ^ Susan Beyer (April 28, 1989). "Laid-Back Clark has a winner". Ottawa Citizen. pp. D6. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  39. ^ Laredo (CD insert). Steve Wariner. MCA Records. 1990. MCAD-42335.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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  41. ^ Kay Knight (May 5, 1990). "Album releases" (PDF). Cash Box: 20.
  42. ^ Tim Fish (October 26, 1990). "Wariner: A little bit of country for the holidays". The Press Democrat. pp. D3. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
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  51. ^ Smith, Lisa; Hoelzle, Cyndi (January 24, 1992). "Reviews" (PDF). Gavin Report: 16.
  52. ^ "R&R Country National Airplay" (PDF). Radio & Records: 60. April 3, 1992.
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  55. ^ a b Jim Patterson (May 5, 1998). "Musician Wariner returns after years of just laying low". Johnson City Press. p. 9. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  56. ^ a b c Brad Hogue (October 30, 1993). "Steve Wariner: Drive to Survive" (PDF). Cash Box: 27.
  57. ^ a b "She's pounding on the door: Carlene Carter joins country elite with excellent Little Love Letters". The Leader-Post. August 23, 1993. pp. 11, 12. Retrieved February 7, 2020.
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  63. ^ "Babyface Tops Grammy Nominations". The Seattle Times. January 7, 1997. Retrieved February 20, 2009.
  64. ^ Chuck Hamilton. "No More Mr. Nice Guy". Country Standard Time. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
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External links

  • Official website

May 18, 2023
steve, wariner, steven, noel, wariner, born, december, 1954, american, country, music, singer, songwriter, guitarist, initially, backing, musician, dottie, west, also, worked, with, luman, chet, atkins, before, beginning, solo, career, late, 1970s, released, e. Steven Noel Wariner born December 25 1954 is an American country music singer songwriter and guitarist Initially a backing musician for Dottie West he also worked with Bob Luman and Chet Atkins before beginning a solo career in the late 1970s He has released eighteen studio albums and over fifty singles for several different record labels Steve WarinerWariner in Hopkinsville Kentucky 2019BornSteven Noel Wariner 1954 12 25 December 25 1954 age 68 1 Noblesville Indiana U S OccupationsSingersongwriterguitaristrecord producerYears active1973 presentSpouseCaryn Severs m 1987 wbr Children2Musical careerGenresCountry 1 Instrument s Vocalsacoustic guitarelectric guitarLabelsRCA NashvilleMCA NashvilleArista NashvilleCapitol NashvilleSelecToneWebsitestevewariner wbr comWariner experienced his greatest chart successes in the 1980s recording first for RCA Records Nashville and then MCA Nashville While on these labels he sent a number of singles into the top ten of the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts and received favorable critical reception for the amount of creative control he held over his body of work Upon moving to Arista Nashville in 1991 he had his most commercially successful album I Am Ready his first to be certified gold but followups were less successful After a period of commercial downfall he experienced a second wave of success in the late 1990s which was spurred by co writing the number one singles Longneck Bottle by Garth Brooks and Nothin but the Taillights by Clint Black These songs led to him signing with Capitol Records Nashville and achieving two more gold albums with Burnin the Roadhouse Down and Two Teardrops by decade s end While his commercial success once again dwindled after these albums he has continued to record independently on his own SelecTone label Ten of Wariner s singles have reached the number one position on the Hot Country Songs charts All Roads Lead to You Some Fools Never Learn You Can Dream of Me Life s Highway Small Town Girl The Weekend Lynda Where Did I Go Wrong I Got Dreams and What If I Said a duet with Anita Cochran Wariner holds several writing credits for both himself and other artists and has collaborated with Nicolette Larson Glen Campbell Diamond Rio Brad Paisley Asleep at the Wheel and Mark O Connor among others He has also won four Grammy Awards one for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals and three for Best Country Instrumental In addition to these he has won three Country Music Association awards and one Academy of Country Music award and is a member of the Grand Ole Opry Wariner s musical style is defined by his lead guitar work lyrical content and stylistic diversity Contents 1 Early life 2 Musical career 2 1 1978 1984 RCA Records 2 2 1984 1987 MCA Nashville 2 3 1988 1990 End of MCA years 2 4 1991 1996 Arista Nashville 2 5 1997 2001 Capitol Records 2 6 2003 present SelecTone 3 Musical styles 4 Personal life 5 Discography 6 Awards and nominations 7 References 8 External linksEarly life EditSteven Noel Wariner was born on December 25 1954 in Noblesville Indiana 1 but grew up in Russell Springs Kentucky 2 As a teenager Wariner taught himself how to play several instruments including acoustic guitar bass guitar drums banjo and steel guitar 3 Wariner performed locally in his father Roy Wariner s band drawing influence from musical acts his father listened to such as George Jones and Chet Atkins 1 When Wariner was 17 country singer Dottie West heard him performing at the Nashville Country Club in Indianapolis and recruited him to play bass guitar in her road band Wariner completed his education through a correspondence course with his local high school and went on to play in West s band for three years 3 he also played on her 1973 single Country Sunshine 1 Wariner also began writing songs at this point and West attempted to secure him a record label contract by submitting demos of his work but was unsuccessful 3 He then left West s road band to put a greater focus on songwriting and began touring with Bob Luman after he cut some of Wariner s songs 4 3 While in recording sessions with Luman Wariner encountered guitarist Paul Yandell who was also working for Atkins at the time 3 Yandell submitted some of Wariner s demos to Atkins who was also vice president of RCA Records Nashville at the time and was thus able to sign Wariner to a contract in 1976 2 Musical career Edit1978 1984 RCA Records Edit Chet Atkins one of Wariner s major musical influences helped him sign to RCA Records in 1976 His first single release for RCA was I m Already Taken 5 a song that Wariner co wrote It peaked at number 63 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts in 1978 This was followed by five more chart singles none of which appeared on an album at the time due to their limited success 6 These singles were primarily covers of songs by other artists including Charley Pride s The Easy Part s Over 7 8 9 Record World magazine published a positive review of this cover which stated that it was a slow sad ballad in which Wariner continues to show a whole lotta vocal talent 10 Atkins also hired Wariner to be a bassist in his road band 11 which led to a nomination by the Academy of Country Music for Bassist of the Year in 1979 12 Also Atkins served as his record producer on his first single releases but later encouraged him to find a different one 11 As a result The Easy Part s Over was instead produced by Tom Collins 10 known for also producing Ronnie Milsap and Sylvia 4 His first major chart hit came in 1980 when Your Memory ascended to the number seven position on the country charts 7 2 Due to the song s success Atkins fired Wariner from his band 11 Your Memory was the first of six singles from his self titled debut album which was also produced by Collins 1 4 After it came his first number one single 1981 s All Roads Lead to You followed by the top 15 hit Kansas City Lights Both of these songs were written by Kye Fleming and Dennis Morgan 7 The album s last two singles Don t It Break Your Heart and Don t Plan on Sleeping Tonight fared less successfully on the charts 7 Al Campbell of AllMusic stated that Wariner s sophisticated country pop sound was already perfected and it showed by the quality of the material 13 In 1980 the Academy of Country Music nominated Wariner for Top New Male Vocalist 12 RCA released his second studio album Midnight Fire in 1983 Tony Brown and Norro Wilson co produced the album except for the last two tracks for which Collins stayed on as producer Contributing songwriters included Felice and Boudleaux Bryant Jerry Fuller and Richard Leigh 14 The closing track was a duet with Barbara Mandrell on a cover of Mickey Gilley s 1975 hit Overnight Sensation which also appeared on Mandrell s 1983 album Spun Gold 14 15 Wariner said that he chose to switch producers as a means of introducing more uptempo material and both Wilson and Brown were working for RCA at the time 16 The lead single Don t Your Memory Ever Sleep at Night faltered on the country charts but the title track was more successful reaching a peak of number five 7 Following this was a cover of Luman s 1972 hit Lonely Women Make Good Lovers 16 which in early 1984 matched the original version s Hot Country Songs peak of number four 7 17 The album s next two singles Why Goodbye and Don t You Give Up on Love were less successful 7 Joy Lynn Stewart of the Red Deer Advocate praised Wariner s fine textured vocals along with the combination of upbeat songs and ballads 18 1984 1987 MCA Nashville Edit When Wariner s contract ended in 1984 he chose to follow Brown to MCA Nashville 6 His first album for the label was 1985 s One Good Night Deserves Another which Brown co produced with Jimmy Bowen The album included three singles the top ten hits What I Didn t Do and Heart Trouble and his second number one hit Some Fools Never Learn 7 The Academy of Country Music nominated Some Fools Never Learn for Song of the Year in 1985 19 12 and Wariner later remarked that he considered it his favorite single 20 In the process of making the album Wariner said that Brown and Bowen allowed him more control in the creative process than previous producers by asking him to find his own material and then explain to them why he liked each song that he had chosen The song selection process also allowed for a number of songwriters not typically found on albums of the era These writers included Dave Gibson Ronnie Rogers Wood Newton Paul Overstreet and Steve Earle 6 Stewart wrote that Wariner takes a fresh approach to traditional country and melds a unique winning style highlighting the ballad You Can t Cut Me Any Deeper and the grand pace of Your Love Has Got a Hold on Me in particular 21 His next album Life s Highway 1986 produced two consecutive number one Hot Country Songs peaks You Can Dream of Me and the title track This was followed by the number four Starting Over Again Wariner co wrote five songs on the album including You Can Dream of Me which he wrote with John Hall then of the band Orleans As with the previous album Bowen and Brown requested that he have input on song selection and production processes one such decision made by Wariner was not to have a string section on the album because he would not be able to include one in a live setting 22 Al Campbell of AllMusic reviewed the album favorably stating that it showed him moving into a more mature musical direction The best moments here outshine anything Wariner had recorded up to that point 23 In between the releases of Life s Highway and Starting Over Again he was also a duet vocalist on Nicolette Larson s That s How You Know When Love s Right 7 which was nominated for that year s Vocal Event of the Year from the Country Music Association 24 Wariner gained further exposure in this timespan for singing the theme to the television sitcom Who s the Boss which used his rendition from 1986 to 1990 25 In addition to his own material Wariner sang duets with Nicolette Larson left and Glen Campbell right in the late 1980s Overlapping with his first two MCA albums RCA promoted two compilations of material The first of these was a Greatest Hits album issued in 1985 26 The following year RCA compiled eight previously unreleased songs into an album titled Down in Tennessee 19 RCA also issued promotional singles from each compilation When We re Together from Greatest Hits 27 and You Make It Feel So Right a duet with Carol Chase from Down in Tennessee 28 29 Also featured on Down in Tennessee was an instrumental track called Sano Scat Ron Chalmers of the Edmonton Journal gave Down in Tennessee a mixed review finding Wariner s vocals stronger on the ballads than on the uptempo material 28 His next MCA release was 1987 s It s a Crazy World which was his first to be issued on compact disc 20 The title track was written by Mac McAnally who originally had a pop hit with it in 1977 30 All three of its singles topped the Hot Country Songs charts Small Town Girl The Weekend and Lynda 7 In between The Weekend and Lynda Wariner was also a guest vocalist on Glen Campbell s top ten hit The Hand That Rocks the Cradle 7 This song accounted for Wariner s first Grammy Award nomination in 1987 in the then new category of Best Country Collaboration with Vocals 24 31 Also in 1987 he was nominated by the Academy of Country Music for Top Male Vocalist 12 Tom Roland of AllMusic reviewed It s a Crazy World positively stating that Wariner s in charge vocally and seems to glide through the album effortlessly He s received more responsibility for his own direction and with one or two exceptions has upgraded every aspect of his record particularly in song selection and musicianship 32 Wariner supported It s a Crazy World through a headlining tour that also featured Hank Williams Jr 20 1988 1990 End of MCA years Edit In 1988 Wariner issued I Should Be with You his fourth release for MCA It accounted for the top ten singles Baby I m Yours I Should Be with You and Hold On A Little Longer 7 Wariner noted that the album contained a more country rock influence than its predecessors particularly in the selection of session musicians such as Leland Sklar and Russ Kunkel as well as Little Feat cofounder Bill Payne 33 The album continued Wariner s trend of writing his own material as he wrote or co wrote all three singles and three other songs on the album 34 he also co produced for the first time doing so with Bowen 33 I Should Be with You received a positive review from Cash Box magazine which stated that it was a tightly crafted package showcasing both contemporary and traditional country tunes 35 Wariner supported the album in 1988 by touring with Reba McEntire 34 I Got Dreams also co produced by Wariner and Bowen followed in 1989 33 Wariner wrote nine out of ten songs on the album with collaborators such as McAnally Roger Murrah Mike Reid and husband and wife duo Bill LaBounty and Beckie Foster 36 McAnally and LaBounty both sang backing vocals on the album with the former also contributing on acoustic guitar and percussion 37 At the time of the album s release Wariner noted that the chart success and positive fan reception of I Should Be with You inspired a continual growth in his songwriting He also observed that while he had not received strong record sales or industry awards radio performance of his singles inspired him to make the best records 36 I Got Dreams charted three singles on Hot Country Songs in 1989 Where Did I Go Wrong and the title track both went to number one followed by When I Could Come Home to You at number five 7 The Ottawa Citizen writer Susan Beyer reviewed the album with favor stating that the more control Wariner gets over his recordings the better they get the sounds run the gamut but elegantly from acoustic country to rock edged to adult contemporary 38 Wariner released two albums in 1990 the first of which was Laredo It accounted for three charted singles The Domino Theory Precious Thing and There for Awhile 7 LaBounty and Foster wrote The Domino Theory while Wariner co wrote Precious Thing with McAnally Production duties on the album were split with Garth Fundis and Randy Scruggs producing three tracks each and Tony Brown returning to produce the other four 39 Marc Rice of the Associated Press called Laredo a safe likeable album praising the clarity of the production along with the clever lyrics of The Domino Theory 40 Kay Knight of Cash Box magazine stated that Wariner shows us a very basic and intimate look at his music and his life this project should definitely bring Wariner into the spotlight of country radio 41 His second release in 1990 and final for MCA was the Christmas album Christmas Memories In the process of recording the album Wariner said that he wanted it to have a timeless feel It included traditional Christmas songs such as Let It Snow Let It Snow Let It Snow Do You Hear What I Hear three original songs written by Wariner and collaborations with The Chieftains on renditions of Past Three O Clock and I Saw Three Ships 42 Wariner promoted the album through a radio special titled Steve Wariner s Acoustic Christmas which also featured Emmylou Harris and Mike Reid 43 A year later he performed in a television special on The Nashville Network also titled Christmas Memories which featured selections from the album 44 While his tenure with MCA was ending Wariner contributed to two cuts on Mark O Connor s 1991 album The New Nashville Cats The first was a cover of Carl Perkins Restless It featured O Connor on fiddle with Wariner Vince Gill and Ricky Skaggs alternating on lead vocals and guitar A number 25 entry on Hot Country Songs 45 it won all four artists that year s Vocal Event of the Year award from the Country Music Association 46 along with Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals 31 Wariner also co wrote sang and played guitar on Now It Belongs to You another cut from the album which also made the country charts 45 1991 1996 Arista Nashville Edit Wariner left MCA amicably in 1991 and signed with Arista Nashville later that same year 47 His debut for the label was 1991 s I Am Ready which was produced by Tim DuBois and Scott Hendricks 48 The album s title came from a song that he had selected but ultimately chose not to include on the album calling it left field 25 The lead off single Leave Him Out of This achieved a top ten peak on Hot Country Songs list in early 1992 7 It was followed by a cover of The Tips of My Fingers which was written and originally recorded by Bill Anderson in 1960 and was also a hit for Roy Clark in 1963 49 50 Wariner s version featuring a backing vocal from Vince Gill 51 was the album s most successful single It achieved a Hot Country Songs peak of number three in 1992 7 and the number one position of the country music charts published by Radio amp Records 52 The next single A Woman Loves also went into the top ten but followups Crash Course in the Blues featuring O Connor on fiddle 53 and Like a River to the Sea were less successful 7 Wariner had a hit with a cover of Bill Anderson s The Tips of My Fingers the two would later write Bryan White s 1997 hit One Small Miracle and Wariner s own singles Two Teardrops and Faith in You I Am Ready was met with largely positive critical reception Brian Mansfield reviewed the album favorably on AllMusic stating that Wariner a master of the subtle touch builds this album s impact quietly and methodically highlighting the vocal and instrumental performances on the singles in particular 53 Alanna Nash of Entertainment Weekly rated the album B concluding her review with if Wariner lacks a zippy repertoire he nearly makes up for it with believable readings and deft vocal shadings 54 Jay Brakfield of the Dallas Morning News thought that the album had contemporary lyrics and shows a more aggressive Wariner He s doing the same thing but now he s doing it better and doing more of it 50 I Am Ready became Wariner s first album to receive a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America RIAA for shipments of 500 000 copies in the United States 55 The corresponding tours for I Am Ready were the most commercially successful of his career to this point 24 In late 1991 the Takamine guitar corporation issued a limited edition acoustic guitar model named after Wariner 44 His second album for Arista Nashville was 1993 s Drive Its lead single was the top ten If I Didn t Love You After it came the Top 30 hits Drivin and Cryin and It Won t Be Over You while the album s title track stopped at No 63 7 Wariner told Cash Box magazine that he intended for the album to be representative of the energy present in his live shows 56 He also wanted it to be more upbeat than I Am Ready which he felt contained too many ballads 24 Once again Jarvis Gill and McAnally were among the musicians contributing bluegrass singer Carl Jackson co wrote and sang harmony on The Same Mistake Again while electric guitarist Brent Mason and steel guitarist Paul Franklin played on It Won t Be Over You 57 He promoted the album throughout 1993 with a tour comprising the United States and Canada sponsored by General Motors Canada Also featured on the tour were Toby Keith Larry Stewart and Canadian country singer Cassandra Vasik 56 Despite the success of the lead single DuBois who was then the president of Arista Nashville observed that the album sold poorly due to negative reception of the following singles by radio programmers 55 Patrick Davitt of The Leader Post rated the album 3 out of 5 stars praising the lyrics and arrangements of It Won t Be Over You and Drivin and Cryin as well as the simpler country tunes You Could Always Come Back and The Same Mistake Again but criticizing If I Didn t Love You as repetitive and several other album cuts for their unbearably thick and heavy sound 57 Although he did not release any albums in 1994 and 1995 he appeared on collaborative works in the timespan The first was Mama s Hungry Eyes A Tribute to Merle Haggard on which he joined then labelmates Diamond Rio and Lee Roy Parnell on a cover of Merle Haggard s Workin Man Blues Credited to Jed Zeppelin this rendition was also made into a music video 58 and charted at number 48 on Hot Country Songs 59 A year later he contributed a cover of The Beatles Get Back to the compilation Come Together America Salutes the Beatles 60 An instrumental album No More Mr Nice Guy followed in 1996 Wariner told Guitar Player magazine that he had wanted to record an instrumental album for much of his career but had considerable difficulty in getting permission from his labels MCA executives would only allow him to do one instrumental song on an album while he had to beg and plead Arista to allow him a full album 61 No More Mr Nice Guy included various country and bluegrass musicians such as Atkins O Connor McAnally Gill Sam Bush Bela Fleck and Diamond Rio lead guitarist Jimmy Olander it also included folk guitarist Leo Kottke and Bon Jovi lead guitarist Richie Sambora and a spoken word intro by Major League Baseball player Nolan Ryan 62 While the project produced no singles the track Brickyard Boogie featuring Jeffrey Steele Bryan White Bryan Austin and Derek George was nominated for Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance in 1997 63 31 Chuck Hamilton of Country Standard Time noted the variety of musical styles present on the album concluding that if you appreciate good guitar playing by some of the best in the business this one s a good pick 64 Also in 1996 Wariner was made a member of the Grand Ole Opry 65 1997 2001 Capitol Records Edit Wariner began writing songs for other artists in the late 1990s per the suggestion of his wife Caryn who also ran his publishing company and fan club She had suggested doing so following the diminishing success of his previous albums 66 He wrote two songs that topped the Hot Country Songs charts between late 1997 and early 1998 Longneck Bottle by Garth Brooks which also featured Wariner on background vocals and lead guitar at Brooks s request 66 and Nothin but the Taillights by Clint Black Bryan White also had a top 20 hit in this timespan with One Small Miracle which Wariner wrote with Bill Anderson 1 67 In addition to these Wariner sang duet vocals on Anita Cochran s single What If I Said In early 1998 this song became not only Wariner s tenth number one single on Hot Country Songs chart but also his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 reaching number 59 7 According to Wariner some radio stations played these four songs consecutively a move which he felt helped draw greater attention to his body of work 67 Based on the success of these songs Wariner expressed interest in issuing another album but said that Arista Nashville executives were reluctant to do so after the commercial failure of Drive and No More Mr Nice Guy In response Brooks suggested that Wariner terminate his contract and sign with another label In January 1998 Wariner underwent negotiations with multiple labels including Giant Records and Asylum Records before choosing Capitol Records Nashville to which Brooks was also signed at the time 68 Garth Brooks recorded Wariner s composition Longneck Bottle in 1997 the two collaborated again on Burnin the Roadhouse Down and Katie Wants a Fast One His first Capitol album Burnin the Roadhouse Down came out in April 1998 Leading off the album was the single Holes in the Floor of Heaven which spent two weeks at the number two position on Hot Country Songs The album s other singles were its title track a duet with Brooks Road Trippin and Every Little Whisper 7 Wariner wrote or co wrote and produced every song on the album except for What If I Said which was included as a bonus track due to its earlier success 69 Country Standard Time published a mixed review of the album praising most of Wariner s lyrics while criticizing the title track as predictably sappy 70 Thom Owens of AllMusic wrote of the album that His music may not be as fresh as it was in the early 80s when he was at the beginning of his career but he s become a masterful craftsman and that s why the album shines 71 By year s end Burnin the Roadhouse Down had become Wariner s second gold album 72 Holes in the Floor of Heaven won the 1998 Song of the Year award from the Academy of Country Music where he also received Song of the Year and Video of the Year nominations for the same song and Vocal Event of the Year nominations for both What If I Said and Burnin the Roadhouse Down 12 In addition Holes in the Floor of Heaven received the 1998 Country Music Association awards for both Single of the Year and Song of the Year 73 and was nominated in the 1998 Grammy Awards for both Best Male Country Vocal Performance and Best Country Song 31 Wariner s second album for Capitol was Two Teardrops Released in 1999 it was certified gold as well 5 It produced only two singles its title track which Wariner co wrote with Bill Anderson and a re recording of his debut single I m Already Taken Respectively these reached numbers two and three on the Hot Country Songs charts that year they were also successful on the Hot 100 where they respectively reached numbers 30 and 42 7 Once again Wariner produced the album himself His brother Terry provided background vocals on I m Already Taken and son Ryan played guitar on So Much 74 The album also included a duet with Bryan White on Talk to Her Heart and an instrumental called The Harry Shuffle 75 Nash rated the album B stating that he continues to shape his persona as the hopeful but dashed romantic and veers from country lopers to affecting philosophical ruminations But in serving as his own producer he fails to get his stronger emotions off the page 76 Owens said of the album that It may not be the stunner Burnin the Roadhouse Down was but Two Teardrops proves that Wariner can continue to make winners 77 In addition to this Wariner was one of several musicians contributing to Bob s Breakdown a song from Asleep at the Wheel s 1999 album Ride with Bob 78 The same year he received a second Grammy Award out of three nominations both The Harry Shuffle and Bob s Breakdown were nominated for Best Country Instrumental Performance with the latter winning that award while Two Teardrops was nominated for Best Country Song 31 By the end of the 1990s Wariner had also played lead guitar on albums by Bryan White Lila McCann and Collin Raye 65 His last Capitol Nashville album was 2000 s Faith in You which charted its title track also co written by Anderson and Katie Wants a Fast One another duet with Brooks 7 Faith in You once again featured Ryan this time as a lead guitarist on the closing instrumental Bloodlines and his other son Ross on High Time In addition to his usual guitar work Wariner also contributed on lap steel guitar mandolin and the papoose a higher strung guitar manufactured by Tacoma Guitars 79 Bloodlines accounted for another Best Country Instrumental Performance nomination at the 2000 Grammy Awards 31 William Ruhlmann reviewed the album favorably in AllMusic stating that it was another consistent craftsman like effort from an artist who has made the most of his second chance in country music 80 Also in 2000 Wariner co wrote played lead guitar and sang duet vocals on Clint Black s 2000 single Been There from his album D lectrified 7 one year later Keith Urban had a top five hit with Where the Blacktop Ends which Wariner wrote with Allen Shamblin 81 Wariner s contract with Capitol ended when the label s president Pat Quigley exited 82 2003 present SelecTone Edit In 2003 Wariner founded his own record label called SelecTone Records 5 82 His first album for the label was Steal Another Day It accounted for the charting singles in I m Your Man and Snowfall on the Sand 7 Wariner recorded the album at a studio he had built behind his own house In addition to its two singles the album featured re recordings of Some Fools Never Learn You Can Dream of Me The Weekend Where Did I Go Wrong and Small Town Girl along with There Will Come a Day a song that he wrote about his stepdaughter Holly 83 Wariner promoted the album with a concert at the 2003 Indiana State Fair he also made appearances at Walmart stores around Indianapolis to promote the chain s childhood literacy program Words Are Your Wheels 82 Wariner made an appearance at an 80th anniversary celebration of the Grand Ole Opry in 2005 which included him and various other Opry members as part of a two day concert 84 He also performed with The Grascals at the 2006 International Bluegrass Music Association awards 85 In 2008 Wariner played guitar on two tracks from Brad Paisley s instrumental album Play The Guitar Album the multi artist collaboration Cluster Pluck which won that year s Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental 31 86 and More Than Just This Song which Wariner and Paisley co wrote 87 One year later Wariner released the instrumental album My Tribute to Chet Atkins The album s track Producer s Medley won him another Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance 31 Jeff Tamarkin of AllMusic reviewed the album positively stating that Throughout the album Wariner s guitar work is crisp sharp and smart he never attempts to imitate Atkins but he manages to embody him nonetheless 88 For this album Wariner referred to himself as Steve Wariner c g p indicating the title certified guitar player which Atkins had bestowed to guitarists whom he respected Other guitarists to receive this title from Atkins include Tommy Emmanuel John Knowles Marcel Dadi and Jerry Reed Wariner promoted the album through special concerts in Nashville whose proceeds were donated to the Chet Atkins Music Education Fund 89 Another instrumental album Guitar Laboratory followed in 2011 Contributors on the album included David Hungate Aubrey Haynie and Paul Yandell along with Wariner s touring drummer Ron Gannaway and son Ross 90 JP Tausig of Country Standard Time noted the variety of musical styles on the album particularly a jazz influence on some tracks 91 2013 s It Ain t All Bad returned Wariner to a vocal album after several instrumental ones Chuck Yarborough of The Plain Dealer rated the album A noting rockabilly and bluegrass music influences on the album s sound also highlighting the lyrics of Arrows at Airplanes and Bluebonnet Memories 92 Following in 2016 was All Over the Map on which Wariner played guitar drums upright bass and steel guitar The album included a mix of instrumental and vocal tracks among which was When I Still Mattered to You a track that he wrote with Merle Haggard in 1996 It also included a collaboration with Ricky Skaggs on Down Sawmill Road 93 In 2019 Wariner was one of many artists inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum 94 Musical styles EditWilliam Ruhlmann of AllMusic wrote that in the beginning the low tuned guitars and wide range of his singles brought frequent comparisons to the early Glen Campbell hits 1 Richard Carlin of Country Music A Biographical Dictionary similarly compared the RCA catalog to that of Glen Campbell calling such songs a pop country backup that really wasn t suited to him Carlin found the MCA albums more progressive and comparable to pop rock 95 Thomas Goldsmith of The Tennessean noted that many of Wariner s mid 1980s hit singles were personal down to earth songs of daily life He also wrote that by the release of Life s Highway Wariner had developed a leaner country style compared to the pop oriented tunes of his earlier days 22 In a review of Faith in You also for AllMusic Ruhlmann described Wariner s style by saying his abilities as a guitarist understated but always apparent in the style of his mentor Chet Atkins provide a basic level of enjoyment no matter what else is going on 80 Brian Wahlert of Country Standard Time stated that most of the time he releases pleasant music that is neither offensive nor exciting 96 Writing for the Dallas Morning News Jay Brakefield contrasted Wariner s style with that of Vince Gill saying that like Gill Wariner has a reputation as a superb guitar player and a teriffic vocalist 50 Wariner noted that Atkins was influential in his early days as a recording artist as Atkins encouraged Wariner to play his own lead guitar parts and to emphasize the quality of a song over who wrote it 97 Despite this Wariner also said that he only chose to include his own guitar solos on songs where he felt that they were necessary 22 Some of Wariner s songs employ scat singing over his solos most notably I Got Dreams 95 Wariner s guitar playing style includes fingerstyle guitar and classical guitar both of which he claims were inspirations from the work of Jerry Reed 61 In his early days when performing with Atkins he recalls that Atkins would lend him a Gretsch guitar on which he was allowed to play solos 61 Nash wrote of Wariner s vocal and lyrical style that the majority of Wariner s sweet sad songs about lost opportunity forego front page passion for little nuggets of long term longing and his creamy tenor audibly caresses a lyric 54 An article in The Los Angeles Times noted of Wariner s musical image in the 1990s that unlike his peers he did not wear a cowboy hat the same article described him as just plain good Wariner has an angelic voice some solid songs and a staggering facility on the guitar 98 Many of his projects have been recorded in only one take including Burnin the Roadhouse Down 24 the track I Just Do from Faith in You 79 and the Atkins tribute album 61 Personal life EditWariner fathered his first son Ryan with Caryn Severs in 1984 although the two were not married at the time After marrying in 1987 they had a second son Ross 99 He also has one stepdaughter Holly who was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes 100 He has one sister Barbara and three brothers Kenny Dave and Terry the last of whom was a longtime member of his road band 20 His mother Geneva Ilene Wariner died on June 19 2012 101 followed by his father Roy Monroe Wariner on July 7 2017 102 For much of the 1980s Wariner developed an interest in stage magic and would often include magic acts as part of his concerts 20 He also took up watercolor painting and named his song Like a River to the Sea after one such painting 56 Discography EditMain article Steve Wariner discography Studio albumsSteve Wariner 1982 Midnight Fire 1983 One Good Night Deserves Another 1985 Life s Highway 1985 It s a Crazy World 1987 I Should Be with You 1988 I Got Dreams 1989 Laredo 1990 I Am Ready 1991 Drive 1993 No More Mr Nice Guy 1996 Burnin the Roadhouse Down 1998 Two Teardrops 1999 Faith in You 2000 Steal Another Day 2003 This Real Life 2005 My Tribute to Chet Atkins 2009 Guitar Laboratory 2011 It Ain t All Bad 2013 All Over the Map 2016 Feels Like Christmas Time 2021 Awards and nominations EditList of awards and nominations received by Steve Wariner sorted by year Year Association Category Work Result1979 Academy of Country Music Bass Guitarist of the Year 12 Nominated1980 Top New Male Vocalist 12 Nominated1985 Song of the Year Some Fools Never Learn 12 Nominated1986 Country Music Association Vocal Duo of the Year That s How You Know When Love s Right with Nicolette Larson 24 Nominated1987 Academy of Country Music Top Male Vocalist 12 NominatedGrammy Awards Best Country Collaboration with Vocals The Hand That Rocks the Cradle with Glen Campbell 31 Nominated1991 Best Country Collaboration with Vocals Restless with Mark O Connor Ricky Skaggs and Vince Gill 31 WonCountry Music Association Vocal Event of the Year 46 Won1996 Grammy Awards Best Country Instrumental Performance The Brickyard Boogie with Bryan Austin Derek George Jeffrey Steele and Bryan White 31 Nominated1998 Best Male Country Vocal Performance 31 Holes in the Floor of Heaven NominatedBest Country Song 31 NominatedAcademy of Country Music Vocal Event of the Year What If I Said with Anita Cochran 12 Nominated Burnin the Roadhouse Down with Garth Brooks 12 NominatedVideo of the Year 12 Holes in the Floor of Heaven NominatedSingle of the Year 12 NominatedSong of the Year 12 WonCountry Music Association 73 Single of the Year WonSong of the Year Won1999 Grammy Awards Best Country Song Two Teardrops 31 NominatedBest Country Instrumental Performance The Harry Shuffle 31 Nominated Bob s Breakdowns with Asleep at the Wheel 31 Won2000 Bloodlines 31 Nominated2008 Cluster Pluck with James Burton Vince Gill Albert Lee John Jorgenson Brent Mason Brad Paisley and Redd Volkaert 31 Won2009 Producer s Medley 31 WonReferences Edit a b c d e f g h William Ruhlmann Steve Wariner biography AllMusic Retrieved September 20 2019 a b c Wariner a singing wizard The Tennessean February 1 1981 p 59 Retrieved September 29 2019 a b c d e Robert K Oermann September 28 1982 Steve Wariner hits 1 spot in hearts of country artists The Tennessean pp 33 36 Retrieved September 29 2019 a b c Walter Carter November 29 1981 Recent TV exposure gives singer airport recognition The Tennessean p 22 Retrieved September 29 2019 a b c Steve Wariner biography oldies com Retrieved February 17 2009 a b c Robert K Oermann April 20 1985 Orphan Boy Wariner finally finds a home The Tennessean pp 1D 3D Retrieved October 5 2019 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Whitburn Joel 2017 Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2017 Record Research Inc pp 384 385 ISBN 978 0 89820 229 8 Whitburn pp 288 289 Ed Morris July 26 1980 One out of 5 songs on singles chart is oldie Billboard p 31 a b Country Single Picks PDF Record World 64 June 21 1980 a b c Craig Shelburne September 19 2019 Steve Wariner Considers Himself a Musician First CMT Retrieved October 7 2019 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Search results for Steve Wariner Academy of Country Music Retrieved October 23 2019 Type Steve Wariner in the Winner Nominee Name field and click Search Al Campbell Steve Wariner review AllMusic Retrieved September 29 2019 a b Midnight Fire LP Steve Wariner RCA Records 1983 AHL1 4859 B a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link Picks and Pans Review Spun Gold People November 7 1983 Retrieved October 6 2019 a b Sandy Neese December 10 1983 Boyhood idol helped Wariner s dreams come true The Tennessean pp 1D 4D Retrieved September 29 2019 Whitburn p 216 Album corner Red Deer Advocate November 12 1983 p 5C Retrieved January 21 2020 a b Patrick T Morrison April 1 1986 Hard work pays off for Hoosier singer The Indianapolis Star p 17 Retrieved October 5 2019 a b c d e Robert K Oermann May 2 1987 He sings winning songs The Tennessean pp 1D 7D Retrieved October 7 2019 Album corner Red Deer Advocate March 23 1985 pp 2B Retrieved February 7 2020 a b c Steve Wariner s success built on honesty The Tennessean May 10 1986 Retrieved October 6 2019 Life s Highway AllMusic Retrieved April 23 2020 a b c d e f Robert K Oermann August 7 1993 Steve Wariner Mr Consistency drives his way up the charts The Tennessean Retrieved October 7 2019 a b Joe Edwards January 16 1992 Wariner ready for glory time The Jackson Sun p 7 Retrieved October 7 2019 Reviews PDF Billboard April 6 1985 p 66 Single releases PDF Cash Box March 30 1985 p 25 Retrieved September 29 2019 a b Ron Chalmers April 3 1986 Steve Wariner fine on frills but falls flat on tough stuff Edmonton Journal pp C2 Retrieved January 23 2020 Feature picks PDF Cash Box 50 March 8 1986 Donald Clarke 1998 The Penguin Encyclopedia of Popular Music Penguin Books p 785 ISBN 9780140513707 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Results for Steve Wariner Grammy com Retrieved October 7 2019 It s a Crazy World AllMusic Retrieved October 6 2019 a b c Carroll Cagle May 12 1989 Wariner rocks for kicks but he s country at heart Albuquerque Journal pp C4 Retrieved October 7 2019 a b Bob Weber September 24 1988 Wariner slides into writing Red Deer Advocate pp 1C Retrieved October 7 2019 Album review PDF Cash Box 23 March 26 1988 a b Thomas Goldsmith May 6 1989 Steve Wariner climbs steadily to fame The Tennessean pp D1 Retrieved October 7 2019 I Got Dreams cassette liner notes Steve Wariner MCA Records 1989 MCAC 42272 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link Susan Beyer April 28 1989 Laid Back Clark has a winner Ottawa Citizen pp D6 Retrieved October 7 2019 Laredo CD insert Steve Wariner MCA Records 1990 MCAD 42335 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link Marc Rice June 1 1990 Laredo sounds like real winner The Jackson Sun p 9 Retrieved October 7 2019 Kay Knight May 5 1990 Album releases PDF Cash Box 20 Tim Fish October 26 1990 Wariner A little bit of country for the holidays The Press Democrat pp D3 Retrieved October 8 2019 Robert K Oermann December 21 1990 Christmas baby Steve Wariner cuts first holiday album The Tennessean p 11 Retrieved October 8 2019 a b Dale Martin December 15 1991 Steve Wariner is ready at last Victoria Advocate p 5 Retrieved October 7 2019 a b Whitburn p 262 a b Thomas Goldsmith Robert K Oermann October 3 1991 Brooks rolls to the top The Tennessean pp 1D 2D Retrieved October 23 2019 Robert K Oermann February 21 1992 Stardom drives Steve Wariner I Am Ready symbolizes new attitude The Tennessean pp 1D Retrieved October 7 2019 Country PDF RPM 18 February 27 1993 Whitburn pp 22 23 a b c Jay Brakefield December 6 1991 Steve Wariner may have found his niche The Greenville News Dallas Morning News p 5 Retrieved February 7 2020 Smith Lisa Hoelzle Cyndi January 24 1992 Reviews PDF Gavin Report 16 R amp R Country National Airplay PDF Radio amp Records 60 April 3 1992 a b Brian Mansfield I Am Ready AllMusic Retrieved October 7 2019 a b Alanna Nash December 6 1991 I Am Ready Entertainment Weekly Retrieved October 7 2019 a b Jim Patterson May 5 1998 Musician Wariner returns after years of just laying low Johnson City Press p 9 Retrieved October 7 2019 a b c Brad Hogue October 30 1993 Steve Wariner Drive to Survive PDF Cash Box 27 a b She s pounding on the door Carlene Carter joins country elite with excellent Little Love Letters The Leader Post August 23 1993 pp 11 12 Retrieved February 7 2020 Sweid Nancy September 27 1994 Steve Wariner Lee Roy Parnell and Diamond Rio Gather to Make a Video Tribute to Merle Haggard Country Weekly 1 25 12 15 ISSN 1074 3235 Whitburn p 180 Stephen Thomas Erlewine Come Together America Salutes the Beatles AllMusic Retrieved October 7 2019 a b c d Steve Wariner GuitarPlayer com Retrieved October 7 2019 Jim Macnie September 1996 Instrumental telepathy Steve Wariner basks in the guitar glow New Country 3 9 38 41 Babyface Tops Grammy Nominations The Seattle Times January 7 1997 Retrieved February 20 2009 Chuck Hamilton No More Mr Nice Guy Country Standard Time Retrieved October 7 2019 a b Betsy Reason August 17 1999 Paramount picker Steve Wariner is back home in Indiana for 1 night in Anderson The Noblesville Ledger pp A5 Retrieved October 7 2019 a b Mayor Alan November 18 2014 The Nashville Family Album A Country Music Scrapbook p 141 ISBN 9781466885677 a b Pond Neil November 1998 Suddenly Steve After a dry spell Steve Wariner is back in a big way Country America 74 79 Tom Roland April 22 1998 Burnin his candle at both ends Country singer Steve Wariner s comeback orchestrated on many levels The Tennessean pp 1D 2D Retrieved October 7 2019 Burnin the Roadhouse Down CD Steve Wariner Nashville Tennessee Capitol Records Nashville 1998 94482 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link Kevin Oliver Burnin the Roadhouse Down Country Standard Time Retrieved October 7 2019 Thom Owens Burnin the Roadhouse Down AllMusic Retrieved October 7 2019 Search results for Steve Wariner Recording Industry Association of America Retrieved October 7 2019 a b 1998 CMA Awards Winners The Associated Press September 23 1998 Retrieved October 23 2019 Two Teardrops CD booket Capitol Records 96139 Jon Weisberger Two Teardrops Country Standard Time Retrieved October 7 2019 Alanna Nash May 7 1999 Two Teardrops Entertainment Weekly Retrieved October 7 2019 Thom Owens Two Teardrops AllMusic Retrieved October 7 2019 Stephen Thomas Erlewine Ride with Bob AllMusic Retrieved February 5 2020 a b John Wooley April 30 2000 Faith in You another tall tale from Steve Wariner Tulsa World Retrieved October 7 2019 a b William Ruhlmann Faith in You AllMusic Retrieved October 7 2019 Walter Carter September 1 2001 The Blacktop ends at a hit for Urban The Tennessean pp 3D Retrieved October 7 2019 a b c David Lindquist April 11 2003 Wariner likes being his own record label boss The Indianapolis Star p 16 Retrieved October 7 2019 Steve Wariner He s about to steal another day The Index Journal February 23 2003 pp 3C Retrieved October 7 2019 Grand Ole Opry celebrates 80th birthday this weekend Hattiesburg American October 14 2005 pp 5C Retrieved February 7 2020 Jason Moon Wilkins The International Bluegrass Music Awards The Tennessean p 34 Retrieved February 7 2020 Brad Paisley Grammy win is a real Cluster Pluck The Boot February 9 2009 Retrieved October 7 2019 Stephen Thomas Erlewine Play AllMusic Retrieved October 7 2019 Jeff Tamarkin My Tribute to Chet Atkins AllMusic Retrieved October 7 2019 Cindy Watts May 21 2009 Wariner pays tribute to man who fired him The Tennessean p 3A Retrieved October 7 2019 CD review Steve Wariner Guitar Laboratory The Oklahoman February 4 2011 Retrieved October 7 2019 JP Tausig Guitar Laboratory Country Standard Time Retrieved October 7 2019 Chuck Yarborough August 22 2013 Steve Wariner s It Ain t All Bad is all good CD Review The Plain Dealer Retrieved October 7 2019 Courtney Carr October 19 2016 Steve Wariner to release new album All Over the Map The Boot Retrieved October 7 2019 Jim Casey July 17 2019 Alabama Steve Wariner Don Everly amp More to Be Inducted Into the Musicians Hall of Fame Nash Country Daily Retrieved October 7 2019 a b Carlin Richard 2003 Country Music A Biographical Dictionary Taylor amp Francis p 420 ISBN 978 0 415 93802 0 Brian Wahlert Faith in You Country Standard Time Retrieved October 7 2019 Deborah Evans Price September 12 2009 6 Questions with Steve Wariner Billboard p 27 Pop music reviews Just Plain Good Is Enough for Steve Wariner The Los Angeles Times August 31 1994 Retrieved October 7 2019 Robert K Oermann May 12 1990 No bootlicker his Laredo walks tall on country charts The Tennessean pp 1D Retrieved October 7 2019 Steve Wariner Steals His Chance At Freedom Billboard February 22 2003 Retrieved October 7 2019 Steve Wariner s Mother Geneva Ilene Passes All Access June 20 2012 Retrieved October 7 2019 Angela Stefano July 10 2017 Steve Wariner s Father Has Died The Boot Retrieved October 7 2019 External links EditOfficial website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Steve Wariner amp oldid 1127295829, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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