Steven Courtney and His Band of Friends

SHOWS
AND
NEWS

2010-05-22
Fireside Tavern
Strasburg, PA
Steven Courtney Band Show
at 8:30 to 11:30
visit www.stevencourtneybandoffriends.com for more "news"

2010-05-29
Flavorfest
Penn Ren Faire
Manheim, PA
Steven Courtney Band Show
www.parenfaire.com more info soon. grown up music

2010-06-09
Loxley's: The Legend Continues
Lancster, PA
Steven Courtney Band Show
at 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM
visit www.stevencourtneybandoffriends.com for more "news"
500 Centerville Road, Lancaster PA 17601

2010-06-11
Union Barrel Works
Reamstown, PA
Steven Courtney Band Show
at 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM
visit www.stevencourtneybandoffriends.com for more "news"

2010-06-12
Fireside Tavern
Strasburg, PA
Steven Courtney Band Show
at 8:30 to 11:30
visit www.stevencourtneybandoffriends.com for more "news"

010-06-20
Quentin Tavern- Summer Deck Concert Series
Quentin, PA
Steven Courtney Band Show
at 5:00 to 8:00
visit www.stevencourtneybandoffriends.com for more "news"
81 West Main Street, Quentin PA 17083

2010-06-26
Quips Pub
Lancaster, PA
Steven Courtney Band Show
at 10:00 to 1:00
visit www.stevencourtneybandoffriends.com for more "news"
457 New Holland Avenue, Lancaster PA 17602

2010-07-10
Fireside Tavern
Strasburg, PA
Steven Courtney Band Show
at 8:30 to 11:30
visit www.stevencourtneybandoffriends.com for more "news"

2010-07-16
Union Barrel Works
Reamstown, PA
Steven Courtney Band Show
at 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM
visit www.stevencourtneybandoffriends.com for more "news"

2010-07-17
SPLASH Concert Series
York, PA
Steven Courtney Band Show w/special guest Mark DeRose Duo
at 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM
visit www.stevencourtneybandoffriends.com for more "news"

2010-08-04
Loxley's: The Legend Continues
Lancster, PA
Steven Courtney Band Show
at 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM
visit www.stevencourtneybandoffriends.com for more "news"
500 Centerville Road, Lancaster PA 17601

2010-08-13
Union Barrel Works
Reamstown, PA
Steven Courtney Band Show
at 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM
visit www.stevencourtneybandoffriends.com for more "news"

2010-08-14
Fireside Tavern
Strasburg, PA
Steven Courtney Band Show
at 8:30 to 11:30
visit www.stevencourtneybandoffriends.com for more "news"

Old Albums (2009)
Steven Courtney and His Band of Friends

Steven Courtney is well-known in central/southeastern Pennsylvania for his long-running and acclaimed career making music for kids and families. His strength has long been making music that appealed to his younger audience without boring their parents. Now he has made an album that is geared specifically for those parents.

The past few years has found Courtney gradually pursuing a rootsier, acoustic sound with his talented group (the aforementioned “Band of Friends”), and on his new disk, “Old Albums,” he stays with that sound. One of the things that I love about acoustic music is that it for me it puts the focus right where it should be—on the songs. Although a great performer, Steven’s ability as a songwriter has always been central to his success and that doesn’t change here. The title song, which kicks off the disk, sets the mood by not only recalling the great music much of us grew up listening to, but also the way we listened to that music: on vinyl.

Courtney’s consistently strong originals are mixed with some well chosen covers, such as Elton John’s “Ballad of a Well-Known Gun” (from the rootsy “Tumbleweed Connection”) and the Chuck Berry standard “Johnny B. Goode.” He also includes a couple of traditional tunes, such as the instrumental “Drowsy Maggie” and the rollicking “Mary Mac,” although it sounds as if Steven may have added a few lyrics of his own to the latter.

I also need to mention the rest of the band: Aldon Hoke (fiddle, melodica, banjo), Frank Portaro (bass, mandolin), Doug Walton (guitar, mandolin) and Mike McElravy (dobro, guitar). These guys support and add to the work of their leader without getting in the way. Nobody overplays, stepping out when it is their time to shine and moving back into the ensemble when the spotlight moves to someone else. Even without percussion the sound is strong and rhythmic, pushing the up tempo songs and giving the ballads a good foundation.

This is an excellent record by an excellent band. It leaves the listener with fond memories of the music they have loved and looking forward to new music from this veteran artist who obviously still has the spark to create new memories for his audience.

BR~ Folktowne.com

Review by Warren Truit

The third in this week's series of Americana albums for kids, Steven Courtney's Rolling Home is a rootsy mix of influences like Jerry Garcia, mid-70s Bob Dylan, Dan Zanes, and Wilco. This Pennsylvania-based musician has been making music for many years, and Rolling Home is his second CD made specifically for kids.

The band includes Mike McElravy on dobro, acoustic, and steel guitar; Frank Portaro on upright bass, electric bass, and trumpet; Alden Hoke on banjo, fiddle, and electric piano; Doug Walton on acoustic guitar, 6-string banjo, and mandolin; and Steven himself on guitar, percussion, lead vocals, and lots of other stuff, with the whole band lending a hand on backup vocals.

Check out the blues rock of "Strange Old Cat" and "Little Rocking Band;" the super singalong "Big Boatload of Bananas;" and the Americana folk rock of "Happy Anniversary," "Hey Mockingbird!" and "Rolling Home." But it's not all rambunctious rock and roll on Rolling Home: the introspective "Walk with the Wise," the lullaby "Mister Rabbit," and the spooky "Scarecrow" slow down the pace a little. The swaying shanty "Sail Away Lady, Sail Away," the word-filled "Elmer's Electric Tricycle," and the silly "Three Monkey Pirates" round out the album.

Even though Rolling Home is classified as a "kids'" album, it's actually a great CD for the whole family, as is Courtney's other children's album, "Monkey Business as Usual." In fact, most of his music can be enjoyed by listeners of all ages, including the old-school gospel folk rock CD Hootenanny in the Sky, and the Americana country rock albums Momma's Homemade Soup and 25 Cent Songs.

Review posted at Kid's Music That Rocks
a division of The New York Times