Although his name might not have always taken center stage, the incredible legacy of Steve Young is being rediscovered with the release of “Stars in the Southern Sky.”
Featuring his album “Honky-Tonk Man” and a few unreleased recordings from live concerts, this three-CD collection offers a long-overdue tribute to an artist who has helped shape the sound of American roots music.
This project is the product of years of collaboration rooted in a deep friendship amongst Grammy-award-winning sound engineer, Michael Graves, multi award-winning producer, Stephen Powers and ETSU’s Ted Olson.
What began as a chance encounter with Young’s music in the early 1980’s would soon give way to a lifelong fascination and dedication to understanding American roots music.
“One of the things I learned early on was that the greatest musicians are often the least recognized,” said Olson.
Although musicians like Steve Young often found their fingerprints all over the music industry, their reach beyond the musicians they helped rarely made it to mainstream audiences.
Young’s music tended to push against genre labels and was often referred to as a “triple-threat” for his talents in songwriting, singing and playing the guitar.
For years commercial markets attempted to place him in categories such as country, Americana and even blues. But to him, Young was only writing through the styles he’s absorbed growing up in the Appalachian foothills of southern America.
“He resisted being categorized as just a country artist or a rock artist,” said Olson. “That resistance likely contributed to him falling through the cracks, but it’s also what makes his music so timeless and relevant today.”
It would be this disconnect between his work and the industry at large that would become a driving force for this project.
Inside the jewel case are 47 songs boasting a near three-hour run time, each of which have been remastered by Graves.
“When you listen to these recordings now, it feels like Steve is performing right next to you. It’s fresh, immediate, and deeply personal,” said Olson.
All of this work would not be possible if it weren’t for the team having access to the original master tapes of “Honky Tonk Man” and the live recordings, as this allowed them to present Young’s work in the highest possible quality.
Featured within the track list are favorites such as “Stanley and Henry” (a collaboration with Jim Post), his classic hit “Seven Bridges Road” and a 40-page booklet that weaves together stories and interviews from Young himself, Olson and Powers.
While the goal of this project has remained to provide another platform for larger audiences to discover and appreciate Young’s music, Olson also hopes that listeners will walk away from this project with an open mind about the idea of musical genres.
“I hope listeners come away with a greater appreciation for music that defies easy categorization,” said Olson. “Steve’s music was never about fitting into a genre, it was about conveying the richness of his experiences growing up in the South and Appalachia.”
“Stars In the Southern Sky” is now available in stores. For more information please visit omnivorerecordings.com/shop/stars-in-the-southern-sky/.
