Steve Farley- Guitar, Slide Guitar, Vocals

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Steve Farley, the musical director of the band, is a lead guitarist extraordinaire. It is said that music should evoke an emotional response. Steve’s guitar does that. He has had many crowds on their feet with his tasteful, yet emotion filled solos. At other times, he has had them sitting silently, eyes glued to him and his guitar, absorbing the warmth of his music, as he closes his eyes, tilts his head back and “let’s her rip.” He tells a story with his craft as he takes you through gut-wrenching, gritty expressions of tension, and then down to a sweet, soulful melody. He can make you feel what the song is supposed to make you feel. It is not uncommon for a crowd to give him a loud ovation at the end of one of his solos.

Steve’s knowledge of his equipment allows him to deliver a signature tone, which also helps convey the story he is telling in music. “If it doesn’t have the right tone,” Steve has said, “It just doesn’t feel right to me. It can affect my playing.”

Steve’s Musical Background:

Steve became interested in guitar at age 13 when he received his first guitar as a Christmas gift.

“I spent hours, weeks, hell, maybe even months with my favorite recordings skipping back to try to cop one note at a time,” Steve says.

Steve has studied guitar with a variety of instructors from many aspects including jazz, classical and most of the popular genres such as bluegrass, folk, and the different variations of rock and blues. But as Steve says, “I always come back to the blues.” You can hear many musical influences in Steve’s playing, but he has developed his own unique style, which is a wonderful blend of those influences.

As a music major a Marshall University Steve played with the Marshall Show Choir as well as playing with several bar bands to help with college expenses. More recently Steve played with the classic rock band “The Mojos” and he just spent the last year and a half with “Big Planet Soul” which he left in order to focus on, and promote the further efforts of the Steve & Steve Blues band.

Steve has played with many good musicians, and listens to many more. He understands every other instrument in the band, and all the time he’s playing, he hears everything else going on in the mix. A perfectionist himself, he tries to attain perfection from each member. He is a realist, though. “I can accept little mistakes here and there,” Steve says, “That’s not nearly as important as maintaining the structure and feel of the music.”

Where does Steve Farley want to go from here?:

“I’ve always wanted to have a certain type of band,” Steve has said, “…one in which each member is a true professional musician, but more importantly, that they ‘get it’. I would rather have a band that really feels the music and conveys that to the listener than one which is technically perfect, yet doesn’t have the right feel. But being technically sound is a definite plus. A band should sound like a band, not just a bunch of guys who decided to sit around and play together a little.”

Steve has said of the Steve and Steve Blues Band, “This is the band I have been looking for. When Steve Criner and I decided to form a Blues band, it was just the two of us, at first.  We eventually felt it was time to add bass and drums to our mix, but we were intent on finding just the right people. We wanted musicians who loved the Blues, and could capture it well, and people with whom we could mesh on a personal level. No matter what anyone says, a band is like a marriage. You have to be able to get along with the people you are performing with, or it will not last. These guys (Phil Ruby and Fred Moomaw) are the ones we were looking for. They play just what needs to be played in a song, when it needs to be played…nothing more, nothing less.”

Steve Criner - Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica, Keyboard

Want a Blues Singer? This is the Guy!

Steve's wonderful warm to growling voice will capture your very soul. You can really feel the emotion as he sings, and it all comes from the heart. He seems to have lived the life of the songs he sings and has personally known most if not all of the different situations that each song was about. He often says, “You have to have been dog-bit and door-slammed several times to sing the blues, and I have.”

Steve Criner is fun to watch on stage. He gets into the music, bounces around while the lead solos are being played, and often smiles widely, because he really enjoys what he is doing, which is singing the Blues. His skills on guitar are equally pleasing. He is an excellent rhythm guitarist, and can take a solo with confidence. For some songs, he will pick up a harmonica and fill the air with sweet, bluesy sounds. For other songs, he will sit at the keys and add another, tasteful and beautiful dimension to the music.

“I want to have the instruments in the song that the song needs,” Steve says, “There are some songs that simply need a harmonica. Other songs just have to have keyboards. I play what the song requires.” He does it well.

Steve Criner’s Background:

Steve started playing guitar and singing at the age of 8 and found a real love for all types of music. Steve started playing old time songs taught to him by his father Hollis Criner who was an accomplished guitar player and singer in his own right

Steve has also formally studied flat picking guitar with two–time National Flat-picking Champion Robin Kessinger. With those skills he has gone on to win several Flat-Picking guitar competitions.

His love for very soulful music moved him to be a blues singer / player. Steve has also become a very in touch songwriter and performer. His original songs often have a unique and interesting twist, while staying true to the Blues genre. Several songs he has written are collaborated with his long time friend Steve Farley. Steve Criner’s ingenious guitar skills, his soulful vocal deliveries, and skills on harmonica and keyboards make up his part of the Steve and Steve Blues Band.

Where does Steve Criner want to go from here?

“I love to perform, especially playing the blues with these guys (the band),” Steve says, “It is wonderful to get gigs, develop a following, and make some money at what we love to do, but I just wanna play.”

But Steve Criner’s actions say so much more. He owns the recording studio where the band records and rehearses. Steve’s hard work and skills in recording, post production, as well as developing the web site, printing promotional materials, and contacting prospective clients show that is interest in the band goes far beyond just playing.

“Like the other members of the band,” Steve admits, “I would love to be able to ‘quit my day job’ and go on the road, and do nothing but play music. We will get there…this band will get there.”
 

Phil Ruby - Bass, Vocals

Phil Ruby will never admit that he is a good bass player, although many others, upon hearing him play, have told him that he is. In Phil's mind, there are way too many greats out there to look up to for him to call himself good. He will say that his goal is to always get better, and he does that every day. He will also say that he enjoys the bass more than any other instrument he has played, which range from acoustic and electric guitars to drums and percussion instruments to keyboards. He will also say he loves Blues music better than any he has ever played.

Learning to play an acoustic guitar at the age of 8, amid a family of musical people, Phil learned to sing, as well. His first paying gig was in the early 70's, as a solo in a small bar in Charleston, WV. He later learned to play drums and was asked to join a country band called "Gentle Wind." He played with them as the regular house band in another Charleston club for over a year, along with several other engagements. Phil also kept up his solo act between gigs, and after leaving that band. Phil wanted to broaden his talents, so he took an offer to play bass with another band in the early 80's. They had lost their bass player, and Phil had been playing a six string most of his life, so he figured, "How hard can it be?"

"I found out how hard, and also how rewarding it can be," Phil says. "I loved good bass lines, so I began listening intently to the bass lines of songs, and realized it is the very foundation, along with drums, of any worthwhile piece of music. The bass is unique, in that it is a tonal instrument, and an important part of the rhythm section at the same time. The bass has to be tight with the drums...locked in like the bass player and drummer are joined at the cerebral cortex. With our drummer, Fred Moomaw, it is easy to do that. There are a lot of great bass lines out there to learn, and lots of things that haven't even been discovered yet. I want to learn them all...but the most important thing is to stay in the groove, and lay down the foundation for the song and the lead artists. I don't feel it's about an individual, in a band. I feel it's about the music, and how it makes people feel. The bass is a big part of that feel, especially in the Blues."

Phil talks of his influences:

"The first bass player who really caught my ear was the late, great, Ray Brown. I first heard him soon after my parents got a decent stereo, and the bass really stood out like I had never heard it. I would have to say that my greatest influences right now are the late Berry Oakley, of the original Allman Brothers Band, and Victor Wooten, of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. Although I cannot see myself ever playing as well as Vic Wooten, he is my current living hero on bass guitar. He is the one I look to when I want to really step up my skills. Now and then I learn something that he's doing and feel I almost have it. The Allman Brothers have made the Blues their own. They took many traditional Blues tunes and put themselves into them, creating a unique Blues/Rock fusion that will be around forever. The Allman Brothers, in their various incarnations, have had several great bass players, but almost all the bass lines and the bar to reach was set by Oakley."

Where does Phil want to go from here?:

"I want to go wherever the Steve and Steve Blues Band takes me," Phil states confidently, "The Blues is what I want to play, and these guys (Steve Criner, Steve Farley, and Fred Moomaw) are the ones I want to play it with. They are all great musicians, and all dedicated to being even better. I believe that this band can go wherever we set our mind that we are going. We have recently decided to step up our efforts several notches, and get even more serious about playing out in even more venues. We will probably even travel quite a bit, and that's fine with me. I intend to ride this train to the end of the line, and then play a huge Blues concert when we get there."

Fred Moomaw – Drums & Percussion

“Playing music has been a long time passion for me,” Say's Fred, “I can remember my Father tapping along to all the tunes on the radio when I was really young. Not long after I was beating on the pots and pans.”

Well, Fred has come a long way since pots and pans. He now plays drums like the true professional musician he is. He has studied many different styles of music and drummers. He understands that the drums carry the beat…the rhythm and overall feel of the music. He is always looking for that special something that sets him apart from the crowd, and he usually finds it. It could be a couple of taps on the high-hats in just the right places, or a quick triplet on the snare.

“I like to do something different with every movement in the song,” Fred says, “I like to do something special that goes with the bass, or the lead guitar, or the vocals, whatever is happening in the song should have just the right thing going on with the drums.”

Fred can pick up a pair of brushes and lay down a smooth, easy going background to a low-key Blues tune, or he can bring a crowd to its feet with a driving beat that will not allow you to sit still in your seat.

“I haven’t lost the love for music I’ve had from the beginning,” Fred says.

Fred’s Background:

“I have had the opportunity to play with many groups: High School Show Choir, College Marching, Jazz Band, and The Griffiths to name a few.  I have been involved in Studio Drumming for Several groups,” Fred says.

Fred has been honing his skills in the recording studio. He works hard to get a certain tone out of his drums, both live and on recording.

Where does Fred want to go from here?:

“It’s a great thing to get to play with the Steve and Steve Blues Band, Fred says smiling, “We play a lot of music I really enjoy playing. What I would really like to see is this band performing in front of six thousand people, all on their feet.”

Fred has also expresses an interest in doing original material. “I like doing things that are different, and more involved than just the plain old licks everyone else does,” he says, “I love working on original material that everyone in the band can contribute to.”

Background 

Steve Farley and Steve Criner have been good friends for many years. During the cold winter months of 2005, when both were “between bands” they decided to pursue a Blues project CD of mostly original music. Both had performed in many different bands of varied genres, but had never worked together. Sharing a great love for music in general and specifically the blues, it was a natural fit. Steve and Steve also booked a few gigs as a duo in some of the local bars and restaurants. Finding this both fulfilling and frustrating at the same time, they decided to add a rhythm section of bass and drums to allow them each more latitude for freedom of musical expression.

Phil Ruby was the first addition and was hired immediately at his audition. Phil’s talents and skills also span a much varied music experience and he fit in musically (very, very important) and maybe even equally important, personality wise.

After working with and auditioning several different drummers, Fred Moomaw just sort of…appeared! Actually he “appeared” on an Internet site for WV musicians looking for bands.  Fred’s audition went so well he also became part of the unit on the spot. As Steve Farley said, “Man, you could tell there was something magical goin’ on there. With Phil we had a real tight unit, you know what I mean? Adding Fred to the mix just made it all jell.” Steve and Steve just looked at each other and at Phil, and they knew that this was IT!” The missing link was found.

Phil said, “I like him. Can I keep him?”

Both Steves laughed out loud and said, “Yes, you can keep him.”

Career milestones

The Steve and Steve Blues band has had a lot of success in their short existence.

First, they were approached by Epic Records with an offer for worldwide distribution of their debut CD, Bridge to the Blues. That deal is still pending. Then barely two months into their existence they played to a packed house at the River City Blues Festival in Marietta Ohio and received standing ovations for their original music. From May through November 2007 they were the featured act every Tuesday night at Tomahawks Restaurant & Saloon, St. Albans, WV,  for “Bluesday Tuesdays”. Here they developed a large and loyal following. They also perform regularly at the Pour House in Dunbar, WV and have appeared at, many other venues including, Legends, Blue’s Bar B-Q, and Crumpeckers’. They have also been active playing private parties.

Genre and influences

With the combined experience of Steve Farley and Steve Criner, plus the experience of Phil Ruby and Fred Moomaw, The Steve and Steve Blues Band is alive with musical influences from every genre. Blues and soul simply ooze out. But in this you can hear tastes of Jazz, Rock, R&B, Soul, Country and even a little Bluegrass. What influences the tunes you hear as presented by the Steve and Steve BB is the Allman Brothers Band, BB King, SRV, Tad Benoit, Willie Dixon, Eric Clapton, Muddy Waters, Delbert McClinton and many others. It is a very electrifying experience. As Jeanne Angle of the Pour House said,  “Anyone who doesn’t come out to hear the Steve and Steve Blues Band,,, it is truly their loss!”

Quote from - Bruce Iglauer (Alligator Records)

Review notes of the CD “Bridge to the Blues”:

“Guitar playing that knows what the important notes are (which many players don’t) restrained and tasteful and vocals with an attractive husky quality. Very tasteful and confident with good interplay between guitars.”

Schedule of Concerts

Contact the Steve and Steve Blues Band at:

www.steveandsteveblues.com

E-Mail stevec@steveandsteveblues.com

E-Mail stephentfarley@verizon.net

Snail mail:

Nitro Music Studio

Attn: Steve and Steve Blues Band

3907 39th Street

Nitro, WV 25143

Telephone

Steve Criner – 304-549-2486

Steve Farley – 304-421-5030

Arts & Entertainment

From 4 News Papers

3/18/2008 12:00:00 PM  Email this article • Print this article
Steve and Steve bringing good times to the blues


Carolyn Harmon

NITRO - According to the Steve and Steve Blues Band, anyone who questions
what the blues is needs to listen to them.

Although the band is barely a year old, a collective amount of experience
is behind the sound. All four members have played in bands over the years,
and they are very comfortable on stage.

On vocals and bass is Phil Ruby, of Putnam County. Fred Moomaw, also of
Putnam County, plays drums. The two Steves in the group, Steve Farley and
Steve Criner, of Kanawha County, are the original members of the Steve and
Steve Blues Band. They both play guitar and sing, with Criner being the
lead vocalist.

Criner and Farley have been friends for a long time and they decided to
start playing the blues together because that is their favorite genre.
Before long, they thought the group needed more sound, so they brought in
Ruby and Moomaw.

"These guys just make us a whole group," Criner said. "They really put in
the background and the drive behind what we do."

And mainly what they do is have a good time. The humor is infectious
between these men, and they are constantly seeking an opportunity to rib
one another. According to Farley, Fred, the youngest of the group, is a
very pleasant, happy person all the time and he keeps the old-timers hyped
up too.

"I enjoy playing with this group because they are better than me," Moomaw
said. "Which makes me better, I like being in that position in the band."

"It will always be that way," Farley said with a laugh.

But they really build each other up.

The group recently competed in the River City Blues Competition in
Marietta, Ohio, with 18 different bands from seven different states.
Although they did not place, they felt very successful for the contacts
they made.

The group plays cover songs, such as Eric Clapton, The Allman Brothers
Band, B.B. King, and a lot of different blues musicians. They also play
their own material. A demo CD was recorded in 2007, which raised some
interest from Epic Records. Their 24 track digital recording studio, in
Putnam County, comes in handy.

"The younger crowd heard what we did and realized they liked the blues,"
Criner said. "They won't hear Freebird, but if they listen to what we're
doing, they realize they enjoy it."

The Steve and Steve Blues Band loves what they do, but most of all, they
want to influence others to listen to the blues at least once.

For more information, log onto Steveandsteveblues.com