The Steel Wheels

Americana from Indiana

Playing Oskar Blues September 16th, 2011


The Steel Wheels are creating tremendous excitement with their great blend of great songwriting and passionate vocals and tight instrumentals. They are truly an Americana band, rooted in musical styles that explore the territories between blues and bluegrass, old-time sing-alongs and foot-stompin' fiddle tunes. It’s been a great year for The Steel wheels. The bands spring 2010 album Red Wing ranked in the Americana Music Associations Top 100 Americana Albums of the Year received five nominations in the Independent Music Awards and was named one of the best albums of the year by Maverick magazine.
Unlike his Amish grandfather who had to form a string band on the sly, Trent Wagler is anything but shy about making music with The Steel Wheels. But like that harmonica-playing grandfather, the band respects and breaks tradition with every note. Drawing from rich American music traditions while charting new territory with subtle innovation and decidedly modern energy, the Steel Wheels are electrifying live audiences and lifting listeners to their feet from North Carolina to Texas and Calgary to New York City. The quartet also brought their unmistakable authenticity, inspired lyricism, alchemic musicianship and powerhouse harmonies all over the country. The Steel Wheels lineup includes lead vocalist Trent Wagler, who plays guitar and banjo and writes most of the bands material, along with Eric Brubaker, multi-instrumentalist Jay Lapp and bass player Brian Dickel.
Wagler’s voice which, has been compared to Darrell Scott and John Fogerty, is accentuated by smooth four-part harmonies. Brubaker’s fiddle, both lively and evocative, suits the band exactly, and Dickle’s upright bass grounds the outfit. Jay Lapp’s signature mandolin style is remarkable and unmistakable. The bands shines exceptionally in their live shows, and their palpable chemistry translates easily to their CD Red Wing, which garnered critic’s praise and was met with tremendous success on the radio. This summer’s release of Live at Goose Creek is a perfect vehicle for showing what the bands sounds like live and showcasing old tunes like The Cuckoo and Spike Driver, two of my absolute favorite tunes from this fabulous CD. The Steel wheels have quickly built a following across the U.S. and Canada that appreciates the honest and deceptively simple sound. They have appeared at most of the prestigious Americana Festivals, in addition they have headlined at venues such as NPR’s Mountain Stage, Eddie’s Attic, The Ark, Bluebird Café and Calgary Folk Cub and will make their debut at Oskar Blues in Lyons on Friday, September 16th starting at 8PM. In keeping with their music that takes a traditional idea on a modern adventure, The Steel Wheels organize an annual “Spokesongs” bicycle music tour. Averaging 10 shows and covering 500 miles in ten days they’ve pedaled themselves through the mountains of Virginia and the hills of Michigan, hauling their own gear all the way. It’s one more example that the inherent skill and energy, trust in the value of simplicity and the marked talent for taking something old fashioned and making it relevant for today is one of The Steel Wheels’ greatest strength.
“The Steel Wheels are definitely going places …on the line between old-timey folk and something raw, new and bluegrassy. Catch Trent and company on their way to fame and glory.” Cover Lay Down
“I am absolutely nuts for The Steel Wheels. Amazing talent. I hear a lot of stuff and I was just stunned by this band.”- Julie Sullivan, Pickin in the Pines Bluegrass and Acoustic Music Festival, Flagstaff AZ.

David Lyons Bluesologist McIntyre