Seasick Steve

What you really have here is Seasick Steve himself; a real American, trainhopping, jailbirding, cowboying, carnival working, migrant farm picking, occassional tramping, near-fatal heart attack surviving old hobo.

The real deal.

Steve was invited to leave his home before his 14th birthday. (nuff said!) Having spent many hours listening to stories from the hobos, tramps, and bums who would come by his childhood home asking for work or just a handout; he reckoned he was ready for a life on the rails.

So making up a “bindle” (sleeping roll and some clothes, etc.) and not forgetting his guitar, he headed off into the sunset.

Sound romantic? For the most part it was not! Sleeping ruff. Going hungry. Working for handouts. Eating at the missions. Riding the rails. Playing on street corners, for your small change and MANY a free stay in the county jails of America…and this is the “G” rated version!!!

But then there was those moments...stories told and heard in the “jungle camps”; scraps of old songs picked up. Food for song? You bet!

Seasick Steve’s music is so out of it and old fashioned that it somehow arrives at modern. His audiences have been mainly younger people who are into the Fat Possum sounds of R.L. Burnside or bands like the White Strips.

While doing shows with R.L. Burnside, Steve saw how young audiences went crazy for what he was doing. After playing the kids would come and ask, “what kind of music is this?” Steve replied, “well it’s kinda low down blues and such.” Their response was, “we hate blues… but man we love what you do!”

This is what got Seasick Steve out again and doing what he does best – being the pied piper of the low down hobo blues. (And wait till you see and hear the 3-string trance guitar!!!!)