While growing up in the blue collar town of Bethel Park, a suburb of Pittsburgh, PA, Steve Moakler may never have imagined how much of an impact his city would make on his career. With his fourth studio album Steel Town, which was released on March 17, Moakler gets to reflect on his personal life with songs that are about looking back and others that are about living in the moment.
“This is the first record where I’ve really talked a lot about where I’m from and my roots,” Moakler said in a recent interview. “It’s the first time I’ve incorporated a lot of chapter one material from my life and the folks who raised me.”
The 11 songs on the album include half that were previously released on Moakler’s self titled EP, including the single “Suitcase,” “Steel Town” and the happy little groove of “Love Drunk.” But, Moakler adds to those with “School,” “Hearts Don’t Break That Way” and his current single “Wheels.”
“There are a few songs that go far back in my history than I really ever sang about before. [The song] ‘Steel Town’ is, specifically, about the folks that raised me and the values I learned,” he stated. “There are some nostalgic songs. There’s a song called ‘Just Long Enough’ that looks back on the high school years and those flings. You look back and think ‘man, what happened there?’ You think about it long enough, it messes you up a little bit.”
Moakler, who wrote 10 out of the 11 tracks on Steel Town, has had success as a songwriter for other artists since he first moved to Nashville in 2006. He wrote Dierks Bentley’s emotionally powerful title-track, “Riser.” Bentley was quoted in Billboard Magazine as saying that it was a “once in a career song.” Other songwriting credits include those recorded by Ashley Monroe, Jake Owen, Kelli Pickler, Reba McEntire and the song “Mardi Gras” off Dierks’ latest release, Black.
Moakler will hopefully include some of those songs in his set when he performs at the House Of Blues Cleveland on Sirius XM Presents The Highway Finds Tour on Wednesday, March 22. The show also includes the country duo, SmithField.
Moakler will cover most of the songs from Steel Town during his set, but as far as what others he may add is still somewhat of a secret. “We are also trying to throw in a few surprises. For the folks who have come out and seen me every year, we’ve sprinkled in the same songs. But we are going to throw a few curve balls in, that are really for those fans. We want them to know we remember those albums and them being there.”
Steve Moakler will be performing on Sirius XM The Highway Finds Tour with SmithField in the Cambridge Room at the House of Blues Cleveland. Showtime is 8:00pm. GA Tickets are $13/advance and $15/day of show and are available Here.
