STEVE RIVERS? It Showed Me Where the Bar Was
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ATB ⁄ ⁄ SPINNING TRACKS ATB ⁄ ⁄ SPINNING TRACKS DOES YOUR FAMILY OWN HORSES? ers, Authors and Publishers) in 2008 and WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO CHANGE My family has owned about 20 racehorses in getting my songs ripped to pieces. It was an YOUR NAME FROM STEVEN DEMETRI- the last 10 to 15 years – maybe one or two a year. eye opening and humbling experience and OUS TO STEVE RIVERS? it showed me where the bar was. And I am Well Demetrious isn’t the easiest name to pro- CAN YOU RECALL SOME OF YOUR truly thankful for that because it made me nounce or spell or fit on a marquee, and in the EARLIEST EXPERIENCES WITH MUSIC? step up my game. age of fast information and online network- My dad got an offer for a job in Saudi Ara- ing you need a brand name that’s memorable, bia when we were younger working with an CAN YOU RECALL YOUR quick, and relatable. The name Rivers reso- American and Canadian company so we lived FIRST LIVE PERFORMANCE? nated with me when I was in Memphis star- there for about five or six years until 1995 and I remember my first real “paid” gig was at ing at the Mississippi River and thinking what I went to an American private school. There this little community hall in Milton, Ontario. an amazing historical body of water it was. It wasn’t any current pop radio. I grew up with My band and I got hired to play at a fund- might be one of the most important factors my dad’s old records like the Beatles, which I raiser for the men’s soccer club. We were that led to the spread of blues/southern-folk think gave me a good foundation for my music. maybe 16. I think we had two to three songs from New Orleans all the way to Chicago (and I think my first preschool was at an American that were original. We played a lot of covers beyond). My last name wasn’t really carrying A BIT MORE… Army base and one of the soldiers’ wives taught from bands like the Beatles, Eagles, Rolling me anywhere – maybe I just needed a new piano lessons on the property and that’s I how Stones, Tom Petty – all the classics that we river to sail on. Does that sound lame? Favourite Sunday football snack? got started – learning piano with her weekly idolized. Chili (my own recipe!) when I was five years old. I ended up getting a WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST chance to play at the American Embassy. HAVE YOU PERFORMED CAREER HIGHLIGHT SO FAR? • On the record with Football team you AT ANY OF THE RACETRACKS? Hearing my song The Place Where I Started on cheer loudest for? WHEN DID YOU DECIDE TO Yes! Mohawk Racetrack used to have this the radio for the first time. That’s the biggest New England Patriots. Tom Brady PURSUE A CAREER IN MUSIC? great Sunday night concert series in the hurdle to jump over. They played it in Owen is just a phenomenal player! STEVE RIVERS I knew I wanted to do something with music summer and one year we were hired to play. Sound at a couple of radio stations and at a With the holidays on the horizon, 24-year-old performing artist and songwriter since I was a kid, but I think I was finally set on It was my first year performing as a country/ couple of stations overseas. Best American beer on tap? Steve Rivers is looking forward to returning to the place where he started before it near the end of high school. My band at the rock solo artist. I had a great group of players Yuengling Lager! time gained a lot of popularity in our home- gearing up for a big year. That place is Campbellville, Ontario, home of his parent’s with me and we had a ton of fun. I remember HOW HAS YOUR MUSIC DEVELOPED town and surrounding area and our songs it was the day after I spent the weekend at FROM YOUR FIRST INDEPENDENT Most memorable road trip Nassagaweya Vet Lab, which services the local harness racing community. Rivers, you have taken? were getting amazing feedback from people. I Wasaga Beach and my entire body was sun RECORD TO YOUR UPCOMING NEW whose major musical influences come from the country, rock, blues, and Americana Driving through the southern U.S. realized that my songs started to mean some- burnt. The guitar strap over my shoulder RELEASE? in 10 days in the spring of 2010 genres, released his independent debut album Beginnings Of A Work In Progress thing to people and I wanted to make a living was causing me so much pain, but I managed I think there’s a different maturity level be- with three of my best friends. in 2008 and dove right into the music industry by venturing out on his own to the out of writing and performing them. to get through it pretty good. tween these two records both musically and country-rock city of Nashville, Tennessee. He now has a new CD in the works, lyrically. I’ve spent a lot of time writing songs Favourite Christmas movie? which is expected to be released in early 2012. WHAT STEPS DID YOU TAKE WHAT OPPORTUNITIES HAVE MOVING that are true and relatable. I released my first Home Alone TO GET STARTED IN THAT DIRECTION? TO NASHVILLE GIVEN YOU? record in ’08 when I was 19 and since then I’ve Interview Brittney Mayotte There’s a reason why they call it music “busi- Nashville is a city with a small-town atmo- re-written this new album from scratch about Photographs Jesse Rashotte Photography (live performance) & Doug Vosler (portrait) What is on your ness.” Like any industry you have to know it sphere so everybody knows everybody. It’s five times. In Nashville, the motto is “it’s all Christmas wish list? inside and out. Doing music for a living is just great because there’s a real community feel about a song” and the best song wins. An al- Socks, an iPod, and a record deal like starting any other form of business; you’re amongst songwriters and musicians. I’ve bum is like a team of songs and if one isn’t up HOW DID YOU AND YOUR FAMILY GET analyzers we can determine various factors an entrepreneur in a very tough and cut-throat made so many friends here over the last few to par and is dragging the album down then Favourite Christmas song? “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” INVOLVED IN HARNESS RACING? that influence a horse’s performance during industry. So I went to college in London, On- years, which have opened some big doors that song gets put on the bench. Well, my family and I got involved in harness a race or training (sickness, muscle tie-ups, tario, and studied music industry in one of the for me. I’ve had opportunities to write with Favourite song on your new CD? racing first and foremost because we are big infections, iron levels, etc.). I like to think of hardest programs to get into. I was lucky to be some major hit songwriters, work in some DO YOU HAVE ANY PERFORMANCES My favourite song so far is When fans of the sport. Harness racing is a big part my dad as the horse “mechanic” and the lab accepted and I learned a lot in those few years. great studios, and received an artist devel- SCHEDULED FOR THE HOLIDAY The Time Is Right of our lives and community, which was prob- as the “garage.” Clients bring in a couple vials It was also during that time that my professors opment and management deal. I’ve also had SEASON? ably the biggest factor that influenced my par- of blood and we try and pin-point if there is sent me to Nashville. They said, “You’re songs opportunities to write with other upcom- I have a few more shows here in Nashville be- What is the most overplayed ents, Costas and Nancy Demetrious, to start a problem in the “engine” or in the “wheels.” are good, but they could be better!” Nash- ing artists that led me to get my first cut on fore the end of the year, but as far as playing song on your iPod? the Nassagaweya Vet Lab in 1998. They own My father has also helped set up equine labs ville is where you go to learn how to write. I Amanda Nagurney’s newest album “Gone.” any “Christmas” shows I don’t have any. I’m Eric Church Sinners Like Me the blood-testing laboratory in Campbellville, and hospitals in other horse racing areas such remember sitting in Ralph Murphy’s office She recorded a song called “You Can Make It looking forward to winding down for the holi- and through the use of hospital-grade medical as Kentucky, New Jersey, and Florida. (the VP of the American Society of Compos- On Your Own,” which we co-wrote together. days; 2012 is on track to be a big year! 28 TROT DECEMBER/DÉCEMBRE 2011 DECEMBER/DÉCEMBRE 2011 TROT 29.