Country music star to visit Cadillac WARINER

Date: Mon, 05 May 2003 21:46:47 -0700
Newsgroups: rec.music.country.western
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Country music star to visit Cadillac
By Matt Whetstone, Staff Writer
CADILLAC - An upcoming visit from country music legend Steve Wariner
could transform Cadillac into Nashville for a day.
Wal-Mart in Cadillac will host Wariner Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. He
plans to meet fans and sign autographs in promotion of his new CD
"Steal Another Day."
Before holding this type of session, Wariner said record sales are
monitored to see where the fan base is - hence the Cadillac visit.
"I'm Your Man," the first single off the new release, is starting to
get airtime on local country radio stations.
This album marks the first time Wariner released music on his own
label. "The responsibilities are a lot greater," he said, "It's a
challenge, but we're up for the challenge," he said
Wariner started his country career at 17 when he signed on as a bass
player for Dottie West. He released his first single five years later
in 1978.
When he broke into the business, Wariner remembers how different the
country music scene was.
"(Country) was still in its infancy when I started, it's totally a new
world," he said, "The industry has changed so much, it's more of a big
business right now."
The popularity of country music has brought in many big corporations
with just a few corporations owning a majority of record labels and
radio stations, he said.
In the past, Wariner recalls many new artists breaking onto the scene
without managers; now management is a necessity.
Tradition and family are important to Wariner, his father sowed in him
the country music seed when he was 9 years old.
Wariner said he learned to appreciate instrumental music from his
father, Roy Wariner. Steve Wariner plays most string instruments and
is always working on new instrumentals.
Ryan Wariner, Steve's son, is the third generation to find his way
into country music. Steve Wariner said he has worked with his son on
several songs.
Ryan Wariner's first experience with country music was in the form of
a Grammy nomination for an instrumental piece performed by father and
son. Steve Wariner said it must have been a big deal for his son
enjoying fame for the first time at the Grammys in Los Angeles.
In his career, Steve Wariner received two Grammys, three gold albums,
14 number one songs, won the Minnie Pearl Humanitarian Award for his
charity work and was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.
He also has worked with and written music for many country musicians
such as Garth Brooks, Keith Urban, Clint Black, Dottie West, Chet
Atkins, Diamond Rio, Kenny Rogers and Lee Roy Parnell, among others.
Wariner is currently promoting his new album, working on a program for
Country Music Television and writing music and lyrics.