Bringin’ It Back Home
The time was the 1960’s, a golden era for singer-songwriters. The place, Orange County California, a conservative and reactionary region of America. Out of a dizzying array of beats, picks, poems and protests, emerged a triad of talent hailed by Cheetah Magazine as “The Orange County Three”. Playing in clubs like The Paradox and The Golden Bear, singer-songwriters Tim Buckley, Jackson Browne, and Steve Noonan were crowned “the ones to watch” by insiders, as the 60’s folk music scene unfolded.
Tim Buckley signed with Elektra in ‘67, while Jackson Browne embarked on a legacy career (later crediting Steve Noonan as a mentor and early influence). Steve became a hit songwriter when “Buy for Me the Rain” hit pay dirt for The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. A classic from the Dirt Band’s first album, Noonan co-wrote the romantic ballad with high school friend and fellow songwriter Greg Copeland.
It was soon afterwards Elektra came knocking on Steve Noonan’s door. Paul Rothchild, who had launched The Doors and produced Janis Joplin’s final album (Pearl), was to construct his musical debut. Unfortunately, both the company and producer were seeking a successor for the recently-discovered Buckley. A barely twenty year old Noonan performed on the self-titled album – a collector’s item to this day – but the final product lacked his signature sound. He ultimately left Elektra (and New York) to pursue music the way he wanted to…his way.
Steve’s musical journey ended up taking him to places like Stony Brook, NY, where he opened for Phil Ochs (backed by an obscure local group named Soft White Underbelly - later to become Blue Oyster Cult). He built his own five piece band in Santa Cruz, the rare Moog synthesizer capturing his work, while opening for Emmylou Harris and Bonnie Raitt. Developing a wonderful habit of turning the personal into ballads, his experiences are threaded throughout his songs. Seeing Nevada’s Battle Mountain under a full moon (while traveling with Ramblin’ Jack Elliot) led to his writing a haunting song of the same name on his latest CD, Bringin’ it Back Home.
Record companies continued to knock; Steve continued to knock back. One AR man at Columbia Records muttered something to the effect of “don’t you have anything like Boz Scaggs?”…to which Steve replied “I’m not Boz Scaggs, so why would I?”
Four decades later, you’ll be glad Steve Noonan couldn’t be corralled. This seasoned and deeply reflective musician continues to write, sing, and produce rarities – socially conscious pieces of Americana, which defy classification. Tinkering over his art like a true craftsman, Steve’s expressive repertoire warrants minimal instrumental canvas. A refreshingly unvarnished artist, Steve has, in a sense, brought himself home again. Still proud to be called a folk singer, his compositions are an invitation to discovery…of him, his music, and perhaps even something in yourself.
Winding a road between then and now…this is history and it is today.
This is Steve Noonan - Bringin’ It Back Home.