You should already know these songs. If the old saying about talent equaling success were true, then The Steepwater Band would already be a household name, rubbing shoulders with Aerosmith, Bad Company and other like-minded travelers in our collective Rock ‘n Roll Fantasy. But that’s not how things always work, and this band knows it and still leans into it, smiling, with everything in them, not for brass rings and marquees, but because they must! For them, the music life is a calling and not some stupid costume one puts on to shake loose gold, fame, and groupies. In a land of caricatures, it’s striking to come face-to-face with the real thing.

Something primal lurks in their music, but always wrestling with emotions and stories that are everyday-ready ~ music at once strut-inducing sexy and brass knuckles honest, a sound evolved smartly & patiently through countless gigs, running the bulls whenever and wherever they’ve been welcomed since 1998. AC/DC once said, “If you got the dollar, we got the song / Just wanna boogie woogie all night long,” and The Steepwater Band surely embodies this lip-smacking urge to get some in this mean old world, befitting the group’s Chicago roots and their earthy understanding of crackling city blues.

The abiding, resounding passion inside this band is never in question. Dive into their seemingly endless catalog of songs just about anywhere, and the heart and muscle pumping away inside every track are palpable and present in a most pleasing way. Their sound is like a soundtrack for arm wrestling The Devil and then drinking shots with him ’til sunrise after you’ve pinned him down. Their songs bridge the miles between lovers, throw lines to brothers and sisters in need of some understanding and a spark that makes them shuffle, eyes closed, shaking off the day’s heavy load, ready for another round because the right song by the right band made them feel they had enough fight left in them. That’s the kind of band you’re dealing with here, and they’ll be doing this long after all the pretty boys, package acts, and pretenders have left the stage. – Dennis Cook

THE STEEPWATER BAND IS ~
Jeff Massey ~ lead vocals / guitars
Joe Winters ~ drums / percussion
Eric Saylors ~ guitars / lap steel / backing vocals
Joe Bishop ~ bass / backing vocals.

Carlos Johnson is an American blues guitarist and singer. He is left-handed, but plays a right-handed instrument upside-down like players such as Otis Rush, Albert King, and Jimi Hendrix. Johnson is known for his aggressive playing which has attracted audiences in Chicago blue scene since the 1970s. He has played on recordings of notable musicians including Billy Branch & The Sons of Blues and Son Seals.

Though he is not well known, even to many blues fans, Roosevelt “Hatter” Purifoy Jr. has performed for decades with a who’s who of artists: Buddy Guy, Marvin Gaye, Son Seals, Jimmy Johnson, Willie Clayton; and he appears on dozens and dozens of recordings, likely into the hundreds. He has been the go-to pianist for indy blues and jazz label Delmark Records for years. His talent for adapting his style to best support other artists has led to sessions with Lurrie Bell, Syl Johnson, Sugar Blue, Larry McCray, Eddie Burns, Mavis Staples, the Kinsey Report and many others.
A native of Chicago, Purifoy has worked full time as a musician since he was a young man. Mostly, he has been honored to make others sound their best. For much of his career, however, his opportunities were limited due to his refusal to board an airplane. He decided to fly a few years ago, and as a result, audiences across the country are discovering his talent. He is also stepping out front more often with his own keyboard-driven shows. Purifoy has now taken to the sky regularly as Lurrie Bell’s keyboardist, and he is finally working on a full-length recording of his own.