Steve Griggs Band

Drawing on unique life experiences, Steve Griggs debuts on the Outlaw Country/Americana Music scene with traditional vocals and the vintage style of a bygone era. With a unique perspective as a rehabilitated ex-con, his music embodies the truth of the Outlaw movement and reflects on the changes one man can make with “time” on his hands. Having the ability to write from the foundation that this rough and tumble genre was built on, Griggs’ authority comes across as he deftly delivers songs of hard times, heartbreak, prison, freedom and more on this debut.

Of Keetoowah Cherokee descent, Griggs was born in California after his parents (who were from Missouri) settled there after WWII. Picking up his father’s 1941 Martin guitar (one bought while serving in the Underwater Demolition Team) at age 11, Griggs played and sang at family gatherings. Inspired by the artists of the day such as Merle Haggard, Lefty and David Frizzell, Willie Nelson and others who bucked the system, he joined a band right out of high school and went on the road. Having the opportunity to play in many bands over the years, he shared the stage with the likes of David Frizzell and Shelly West as he toured Texas, Missouri, Nevada and California before permanently moving to Texas in 1979.

On New Year’s Day in 1993 drug conspiracy charges landed Griggs in federal prison; for the next 22 years he took stock of what life was truly about and ultimately gathered material for songwriting. Taking the advice of an elderly man to “not serve the time but let the time serve you,” Griggs’ reality of a life behind bars consisted of studying, earning his paralegal degree, writing songs, playing in prison bands (where his songs were always well received), and taking care of himself physically.

“The lessons from my time inside are many,” Griggs said. “Life is so fickle and fragile; I saw men alive and vibrant one minute and dead the next. Mostly, it was reflecting on a daily basis the importance of family and friends; it was rough feeling the heartbreak of losing them, not being able to attend funerals and graduations or be there for those who needed you.”

Through his music, and the dream of a career upon his release, Griggs prevailed. Combining the many emotions felt while incarcerated with memories and lessons from childhood through adulthood, his music is relatable and appeals to a variety of people and all that goes on in their lives. This insight was the basis in creating the flow of songs on FROM TEXAS TO BAKERSFIELD, a collection of 12 true country songs you can get lost in about the many experiences of life.

“I can relate to hard times, prison times, being broke or successful,” Griggs states. “We were country people growing up, hunting and fishing for food to eat. We raised cattle, had one milk cow, chickens, and we planted a garden. When our shoes had holes in them, we put cardboard in them. Add in time in prison and I can relate to people similarly situated. I'm a regular person who has lived life, enjoyed the good times and suffered the bad like everyone else.”

“Blinding Lights,” the first single Griggs recorded upon his release, is a true testament of this desire to connect through authentic stories and emotion. Written several years before his release, this Texas two-stepper is about a man who finds himself hitchhiking with only his trusty guitar and a ragged suitcase after his wife leaves him. As the lights of the cars on the highway blind him through his tears, he realizes that, although his wife is gone and he’s all alone, those lights cannot outshine the memories they shared and the love he still has for her.

“It's what I felt when I got out of prison when my wife chose not to reunite after 22 years,” Griggs said. “My children were grown. My father had passed away. My mother was old and in a retirement home. The loneliness of all that allows the listeners to relate to the solitude of being left behind. Luckily, I had lots of help and support from family and friends; most guys getting out after doing 20 years do not have that luxury.”

With such support, Griggs is looking forward to hitting the road outside of his home base near Dallas in support of this release. Appearing regularly at places such as Neon Cowboy, Dino’s Live, Copperhead Bar, Hollywood & Vine, and Cherokee Casino in Oklahoma, he is working hard to introduce his hardworking and hard living style of music to Texas and beyond. For audiences looking for the grit and reality that seems to be lost in today’s modern country music, Griggs may be what the genre needs.

“I’ve lived a life of ups and downs,” he says. “Hopefully, these musical stories will resonate and bring smiles to the faces of those listening for a little while.”