Biography

Steve Hartsoe is a Raleigh, N.C.-based singer-songwriter who blends the rootsy strains of roots rock and Americana with keen lyrical observations ranging from the daily of life to the eternal.

On his latest effort, "Neo-Traditional," a four-song EP released in November 2014, Hartsoe is backed by Nashville ace Dave Ristrim (Luke Bryan, Jewel), an old friend from their native San Jose, California.; versatile Cary, North Carolina, musician Wahba (who played bass, produced, engineered and mastered the EP at his home studio); and Hartsoe's teenage son, Eli, on drums.

Each of the four self-penned tunes reflects the struggle to keep going, whether in marriage, through tragedy or while wrestling with life's biggest questions. That's been a theme throughout the singer-songwriter's career, from fronting an alt-rock band in the San Francisco Bay Area and sharing the bill with artists including Chris Isaac, The Smithereens and Tragically Hip, to playing solo as an Americana artist in his current home state of North Carolina.

"Seven Miles to Wilmington," an urgent, acoustic-guitar driven lament about saying goodbye to a loved one, kicks off the EP and features Ristrim on banjo and Dobro guitar against a locked-in two-beat rhythm.

The second track, "Alright Together," captures Hartsoe's electric, alt-country sound as he holds down vocal and guitar duties, including lead guitar work inspired by one of his favorite bands, Son Volt.

The third song , the all-acoustic "Love Wins (Columbine)" was written after Hartsoe read
about a victim of the Columbine tragedy, student Kelly Fleming. “The arti
cle described her as a shy, aspiring songwriter, and I could see myself as a teen. I was a new father at the time of the shooting, and tragedies like that make you reflect on what really matters in life, which I tried to capture in the song," Hartsoe says.

Rounding out the EP is a solo demo version of "Asaph's Blues." Like the song's biblical namesake, Hartsoe sings of trying to make sense of an unfair world while growing weary of its offerings. The song was recorded by Eli Arrigotti (Red Dog Ash) several years ago in California.

Background

Hartsoe honed his musical teeth leading an alternative rock band based in San Jose, Calif., which released two critically acclaimed albums and toured from Portland to Santa Barbara. The band (named London Down then changed to the Raging Marys) opened for artists including Chris Isaak, Mudhoney and the Young Fresh Fellows.

After the band's demise, Hartsoe began playing as a solo artist at clubs, cafes and churches around central and northern California, releasing a few demos and a 10-song album, “Joseph Days.”