Steve Walker

You never know what to expect from Steve Walker. His music mixes, folk, blues, and bluegrass, and he is familiar with classical, reggae, and country.
It would not be unusual for audiences to hear "Beethoven, Bob Marley, and the Beatles in the same set," says Walker.

Walker switches among six and twelve-string guitar, banjo, mandolin, and harmonica. He built some of his instruments himself, using experience he learned from working for the Martin Guitar company. Walker also switches between original material, sprinkled with a healthy dose of humor, covers and takes requests from his audiences. His goal is to see "people smiling, laughing, and tapping their feet to the music."

Walker has played with and opened for a stellar group of performers including Vassar Clements, Steve Kimmock, the New Riders of the Purple Sage, and the McCoy Tyner Trio.

Walker is based in Barto, Berks Country, where he has organized 12 editions of Hexfest, which might be the closest thing to Woodstock in the Lehigh Valley.

It combines local and national acts in a wooded outdoor setting that allows weekend camping. This year it will not take place because a second, larger stage is being built to entertain the 2,500 or so people that attend every year.
(a hard copy of the original press clipping is available upon request)
- Morning Call Newspaper

You never know what to expect from Steve Walker. His music mixes, folk, blues, and bluegrass, and he is familiar with classical, reggae, and country.
It would not be unusual for audiences to hear "Beethoven, Bob Marley, and the Beatles in the same set," says Walker.

Walker switches among six and twelve-string guitar, banjo, mandolin, and harmonica. He built some of his instruments himself, using experience he learned from working for the Martin Guitar company. Walker also switches between original material, sprinkled with a healthy dose of humor, covers and takes requests from his audiences. His goal is to see "people smiling, laughing, and tapping their feet to the music."

Walker has played with and opened for a stellar group of performers including Vassar Clements, Steve Kimmock, the New Riders of the Purple Sage, and the McCoy Tyner Trio.

Walker is based in Barto, Berks Country, where he has organized 12 editions of Hexfest, which might be the closest thing to Woodstock in the Lehigh Valley.

It combines local and national acts in a wooded outdoor setting that allows weekend camping. This year it will not take place because a second, larger stage is being built to entertain the 2,500 or so people that attend every year.
(a hard copy of the original press clipping is available upon request)
- Morning Call Newspaper

Steve Walker, a longtime member of the Godfrey Daniels folk/Americana scene, has finally put out his first CD. Most of it reflects Walker's singer/songwriter roots.
"Space Monkey" is revealed in the last verse to be a lullaby, but it is also the lighthearted saga of a monkey sent on a space flight. "Devil's Moving Into the Christmas City" is a reflection on the demise of Bethlehem Steel and the rise of the casino culture.
"I Come From Barto" with Walker on banjo, is not a science fiction story but a description of life in one of Pennsylvania's many small hamlets. "God Bless the Grateful Dead" relates their history (Walker has been a member of the Dead cover band Born Cross-Eyed for years). And "The Time I Think of You" is a simple but beautiful piece featuring Walker's 12-string guitar and vocals.
All these are well crafted songs, mostly upbeat but with bits of reflection.
Although it was engineered at three different studios, the CD has consistently balanced production. Electric guitar (from Walker and Jody Neifert) bass, and drums enhance and support Walker's acoustic guitar and harmonica foundation without overwelming it.
Walker does even better with his instrumentals. "Autumn Leaves" is a unique version of the standard with Frank DiBussolo on jazz guitar and Walker on mandolin. "Planxty Irwin" is a lovely 12 string interpretation of a Celtic folk song.
A CD bt Walker is way overdue, and hopefully we will not have to wait so long for the next one.
(a hard copy of the original press clipping is available upon request) - Morning Call Newspaper

Steve Walker, a longtime member of the Godfrey Daniels folk/Americana scene, has finally put out his first CD. Most of it reflects Walker's singer/songwriter roots.
"Space Monkey" is revealed in the last verse to be a lullaby, but it is also the lighthearted saga of a monkey sent on a space flight. "Devil's Moving Into the Christmas City" is a reflection on the demise of Bethlehem Steel and the rise of the casino culture.
"I Come From Barto" with Walker on banjo, is not a science fiction story but a description of life in one of Pennsylvania's many small hamlets. "God Bless the Grateful Dead" relates their history (Walker has been a member of the Dead cover band Born Cross-Eyed for years). And "The Time I Think of You" is a simple but beautiful piece featuring Walker's 12-string guitar and vocals.
All these are well crafted songs, mostly upbeat but with bits of reflection.
Although it was engineered at three different studios, the CD has consistently balanced production. Electric guitar (from Walker and Jody Neifert) bass, and drums enhance and support Walker's acoustic guitar and harmonica foundation without overwelming it.
Walker does even better with his instrumentals. "Autumn Leaves" is a unique version of the standard with Frank DiBussolo on jazz guitar and Walker on mandolin. "Planxty Irwin" is a lovely 12 string interpretation of a Celtic folk song.
A CD bt Walker is way overdue, and hopefully we will not have to wait so long for the next one.
(a hard copy of the original press clipping is available upon request) - Morning Call Newspaper