Skyler Allen - Jeffery Steele brings in Hurricane at Scallop Festival
Published on 3/3/2006
By Ed Tinney - Forgotten Coastline Newspaper
"It was hot as only early September evenings can be along the Forgotten Coast. After a day of eating, walking the promenade, and generally having a good time folks started to gather along the shore of St. Joe Bay for an evening of music.
Not even the threat of a hurricane churning through the Gulf toward us could dampen the crowd's spirits. They came to hear some good country music. They weren't disappointed, with two of the hottest new faces in Country Music ready to rock the Hurricane away, Skyler Allen and Singer/Songwriter Jeffery Steele both recording artist in Nashville, TN.
First up was the Skyler Allen Band, currently playing their trade from an Atlanta home base. Now this is a solid country act on its way up. With a new recording contract in hand with Jada Records get ready to hear a lot more from these folks on the radio.
Skyler's strong baritone voice, and a group of highly competent players backing him up make for a true ear delight. Mixing up originals and covers, SAB delivered the goods. The crowd was highly appreciative, and you can bet these guys are going to be back, if only to have a little more time onstage at the Wonderbar in Mexico Beach.
That's where we ended up after the big show in PSJ, where Skyler proved he's as much fun offstage as he is on. The one disappointment of the night was the fact that Jeffrey Steele's part of the show started late. There were a number of folks with early jobs or children who simply couldn't hang with the crowd. By the time Steele got onstage the crowd was beginning to get pretty thin.
Ah, but all was forgotten when Steele started cranking out one familiar song after another. You see in the last three years Steele, former lead singer for the group Boy Howdy, has had over two hundred of his songs recorded by the likes of Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Trace Adkins, Montgomery Gentry, Collin Raye, Diamond Rio, LeAnn Rimes, Rascal Flatts, Randy Travis, Lonestar, Jamie O’Neal, and just about anyone else in Nashville with a recording contract.
The man proved why he was the 2003 BMI Songwriter of the Year, and why Billboard named him Top 5 Writer six or seven times. Gold, platinum and chrome, baby.
I am sure that the Hurricane was disappointed to find that these 2 artists had already tore the coastline up with their rockin' country music. Skyler Allen is definately the guy to watch, who knows maybe the relationship between Skyler and Jeffery will continue with Jeffery putting some songs in Skyler hands, now that would be a match up, Jeffery's Songs - Skyler's awesome voice... It just doesn't get any better than that."
Article Credits and References
Ed Tinney - Forgotten Coastline Newspaper - Port St. Joe, Florida
