"Owen Steel has that charisma that makes people instant fans. He's all about the music, and his enthusiasm and honesty draws you in. Steel has a direct connection to nature and his surroundings, and feeds the audience his view of the country and life. Best of all, it's a fun, honest and real viewpoint, backed by catchy roots sounds." - Bob Mersereau, CBC Radio & Author of 'The Top 100 Canadian Albums'
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"Owen's songs bring life to the singer songwriter genre, which is starting once again to recycle itself. My dad told me years ago, since there's nothing new under the sun, an artist has to find a brand new way of saying the same old thing; Owen has succeeded." - Guy Davis, Acclaimed American Blues Man & Red House Records artist
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"One of the best first albums I [have] heard in a while.. His songwriting not only gets to me but obviously to a lot of other folks too." - Fred Eaglesmith
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"Owen is a true performer: warm, witty, and incredibly talented" - Suz Slezak, David Wax Museum
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Music found Owen Steel at a young age.
After being inspired by a family friend while growing up on Prince Edward Island, he began taking guitar lessons from a local wood carver in exchange for eggs, a bit of cash, and farm fresh meat. The lessons did not last long but the love for song did; in the years that followed, the story of his exposure to music and the people who play it would read like a childhood dream!
Steel often spent parts of the year at his Father’s home in St. Andrews, New Brunswick – a small town close to the US/Canada border surrounded by the ocean. The house came to be known as ‘Salty Towers’ - an Inn that would gain a reputation for being a home away from home for many traveling musicians. From road warriors Ray Bonneville and Fred Eaglesmith, to blues ambassador Guy Davis, folk revivalist Old Man Luedecke, local legends Isaac & Blewett and Hot Toddy, along with hundreds of others, Steel was fortunate enough to get an up close and personal experience with an incredible array of talent. “At first I didn’t really clue in to what was happening,” explains Owen, in regards to his younger years at Salty Towers, “and then, slowly, I began to understand that I was living in the middle of a touring circuit with some of the world’s finest musicians!” All the while, and inevitably so, Steel maintained a strong interest in song writing, as well as developed a curiosity in live performance. Naturally, he adopted many of the bohemian qualities and musical styles that he witnessed from those passing through, and ultimately created something all his own. “The songsters kept passing through town, and I think on a more subconscious level I was not only studying their music, but also their way of life.”
The result of this exposure is something truly original: Folk/Roots music with subtle, yet undeniable twists all the way through. Whether solo, as a duo, trio or full band, Steel has become a versatile, engaging, and unique performer! From Cape Breton to the Yukon of Canada; busking bouts into parts of the southern States; on trains and buses, in cheap cars and band vans; from intimate house concerts to 800-seat theaters; from Folk Festivals to Freak Festivals - Owen is gathering fans and friends wherever he goes!
2010/11 has been a particularly successful year for the young songsmith. With the release of his debut, full length album, ‘Et Al’, Owen has completed several tours around Canada, including the initial cross country release by train, thanks to VIA Rail's On Board Musician Program. The success of that tour and the positive feedback provided by VIA has resulted in several invitations back on board. Most recently Steel entertained folks en-route while traveling to partake in The Winnipeg Folk Festival, where he was presented with the Young Performers Award from Galaxie! In addition, Steel’s 2011 summer tour included invited performances at Fred Eaglesmith’s 17th Annual Charity Picnic in Aylmer, Ontario, as well as a return appearance at Fredericton, New Brunswick’s 21st Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival, where he was presented with another award from Galaxie for Best Original Song.
Currently splitting his time between St.Andrews, New Brunswick and Halifax, Nova Scotia, the 23 year old has just released a 7"vinyl record that he will be touring around Eastern Canada into the spring, with another full length to follow later in 2012.