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Line 1: {{Short description\|American blues musician (born 1951)}} {{Infobox musical artist \| name = Seasick Steve Line 10 ⟶ 11: \| genre = {{hlist\|[[Country blues]]\|[[blues]]\|{{nowrap\|[[blues rock]]}}<ref>{{Allmusic\|class=artist\|id=mn0001939829\|label=Seasick Steve\|first=Kenyon\|last=Hopkin\|access-date=November 29, 2015}}</ref>}} \| occupation = {{hlist\|Musician\|songwriter\|recording engineer}} \| instrument = {{hlist\|Vocals\|guitar\|[[diddley bow]]\|[[stomp box]]\|[[banjo]]\|[[harmonica]]}} \| years_active = \| label = {{hlist\|[[Caroline International]]\|[[Atlantic Records\|Atlantic]]\|[[Warner Bros. Records\|Warner Bros.]]\|[[Bronzerat Records\|Bronzerat]]\|[[Third Man Records\|Third Man]]\|Dead Skunk}} Line 17 ⟶ 18: }} '''Steven Gene Wold''' ([[née\|né]] '''Leach''',; 19 March 1951),<ref name=":0">[https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=5247&h=4743576&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=1144 California Birth Index, 1905-1995. Sacramento, CA, USA: State of California Department of Health Services, Center for Health Statistics, ''Ancestry.com'']. Retrieved August 4, 2019</ref> commonly known as '''Seasick Steve''', is an American [[blues]] [[musician]]. He plays mostly personalized guitars and sings, usually about his early life doing casual work.<ref>{{Cite news \| last = Op de Beeck \| first = Geert Line 37 ⟶ 38: When he was four years old, his parents split up and he continued to live with his mother. He claimed that as a child he was taught to play the guitar by [[K. C. Douglas]], who worked at his grandfather's garage, and later realised that he had been taught the blues.<ref name=OGrady>{{YouTube\|tmgfVPXI2Zc\|Interview on The Paul O'Grady Show}} 15 Oct 2008</ref> Douglas wrote the song "[[Mercury Blues]]" and had played with [[Tommy Johnson (blues musician)\|Tommy Johnson]] in the early 1940s.<ref name="Harris">Harris, S (1989). Blues Who's Who, 5th paperback edition. New York, Da Capo Press, pp. 160-161</ref> His mother remarried, to a [[Korean War]] veteran who Wold characterized as abusive, and, at the age of about 13, Wold claimed that he left home following a violent confrontation with his stepfather.<ref>Wright, 2016, p.59</ref> Wold claimed to have lived rough and on the road in Tennessee, Mississippi and elsewhere, until at least the late 1960s.<ref name=allmusic>[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/seasick-steve-mn0001939829/biography Kenyon Hopkin, "Seasick Steve"], ''[[AllMusic]]''. Retrieved 14 August 2019</ref><ref name=ObserverSept08/> However, Wright's biography claims that Wold lived in [[Haight-Ashbury]], [[San Francisco]], for some time from 1965.<ref>Wright, 2016, pp.15-16</ref> He attended the [[Monterey International Pop Festival\|Monterey Pop Festival]], regularly saw bands such as [[The Grateful Dead]] perform in the area, and became acquainted with [[Janis Joplin]] and [[Jimi Hendrix]].<ref>Wright, 2016, p.72</ref><ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.telen.no/kultur/ikke-skremt-av-novembervaret/s/2-2.3402-1.4640555\|title=Ikke skremt av novemberværet\|website=Telen.no\|date=13 November 2000}}</ref> ===Early musical activities=== In about 1969, he toured clubs in the region as a backing musician with [[Lightnin' Hopkins]].<ref>Wright, 2016, p.105</ref> In 1970, as Steve Leach, he became the bass player in an innovative band, [[Shanti (band)\|Shanti]], who performed a [[world music\|fusion]] of [[Indian music\|Indian]] and [[rock music]]. Other band members included [[Zakir Hussain (musician)\|Zakir Hussain]] and [[Aashish Khan]], and all the band members were adherents of [[Transcendental Meditation]].<ref name=wright2/> In [[liner notes]] for a 2015 reissue of Shanti's only album, writer [[Richie Unterberger]] states that "bassist Steve Leach has reinvented himself as the blues musician Seasick Steve",<ref name=wright2>Wright, 2016, pp. 83-84</ref> and his participation in Shanti was confirmed by Seattle band the Tremens.<ref name=tremens/> He left California in 1972 and moved to [[Paris]], France, where he [[busking\|busked]] in the [[Paris Métro\|Métro]].<ref name=IrishNews>{{cite news \| title = Seasick Steve flouts Tube alcohol ban \| work = Irish News \| date = 2009-02-18 \| url = http://www.irishnews.com/break.asp?tbrk=brk&par=brk&catid=5834&subcatid=642&storyid=399522 \| access-date = 2009-03-11}}</ref> He occasionally returned to California where he married Victoria Johnson in 1974; they had two sons together but later divorced.<ref>Wright, 2016, p. 115</ref> Wold also spent time in the 1970s in [[Hawaii]], and worked as a session musician and ~~[[recording~~ ~~studio\|~~studio engineer]], as well as in occasional manual jobs. He has claimed to have played with other musicians including [[Son House]], [[John Lee Hooker]], [[Albert King]], and [[Joni Mitchell]] around this time.<ref name = ObserverSept08/> In 1976, he worked with French producer Lee Hallyday and fronted the [[disco]] group Crystal Grass.<ref name=stanley/> Leach appeared on two Crystal Grass albums released by [[Philips Records]] in France, ''Dance Up a Storm'' and ''Ocean Potion'', the latter credited to Steve Leach with the Crystal Grass Orchestra. The group also released several singles including "You Can Be What You Dream".<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/104916-Crystal-Grass\|title=Crystal Grass\|website=Discogs.com\|access-date=12 May 2021}}</ref><ref name=stanley/><ref>[https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/lets-listen-to-seasick-steves-disco-album-759115 Thomas Smith, "Let’s All Listen to Seasick Steve’s 1970s Disco Group", ''NME.com'', 30 September 2016]. Retrieved 19 August 2019</ref> He also sang on the first album released by [[Mike Love]]'s side project [[Celebration (1970s band)\|Celebration]], a collaboration with members of the Paris-based band [[King Harvest]].<ref>[https://www.discogs.com/Celebration-Celebration/release/1680693 "Celebration", ''Discogs.com'']. Retrieved 19 August 2019</ref> Around 1980, Steve Leach returned to Europe.<ref>Wright, 2016, p.119</ref> In 1982, he appeared as singer and guitarist on an album, ''Women and Sports'', by the band Clean, Athletic & Talented (C.A.T.), co-writing their single "I Love To Touch Young Girls".<ref name=stanley/> He met Elisabeth Wold in a blues bar in [[Oslo]], Norway, and adopted her surname after she became his second wife. For a time in the early 1980s, he lived in London, and then with Elisabeth in [[Skelmersdale]], England, which biographer Wright notes is the location of a major [[Transcendental Meditation movement]] center.<ref>Wright, 2016, p.140</ref> He later claimed to have run a recording studio in Europe before selling it.<ref name=levin/> Line 50 ⟶ 51: In 2001, Wold closed Moon Music, after being involved in up to 50 albums made there. He said at the time: "I'm finished with America. I'm 50 years old now, and I've been watching greed play the main stage since I was a teenager. I just can't stand it anymore."<ref name=levin>[https://www.thestranger.com/seattle/reluctant-icon/Content?oid=6010 Rick Levin, "Reluctant Icon: Goodbye to Moon Music", ''The Stranger'', 21 December 2000]. Retrieved 19 August 2019</ref> With his wife and their sons, he moved to [[Notodden]] in Norway, home of the [[Notodden Blues Festival]], and set up a studio, Juke Joint, with vintage equipment that he had acquired over the years. After Wold became ill on a boat trip between Norway and Denmark, he adopted the name "Seasick Steve" as a parallel to that of blues musician [[Homesick James]], and started to form a band, Seasick Steve and the Level Devils.<ref>Wright, 2016, p.221</ref> Wold released his first album, entitled ''[[Cheap (album)\|Cheap]]'', recorded in 2004 with the Level Devils as his rhythm section, with Jo Husmo on stand-up bass and Kai Christoffersen on drums. His debut solo album, ''[[Dog House Music]]'' was released by [[Bronzerat Records]] on 26 November 2006, after he was championed by an old friend, Joe Cushley, DJ on the ''Balling The Jack'' blues show on London radio station [[Resonance FM]]. ===Breakthrough and subsequent career=== [[File:Steve.JPG\|left\|thumb\|Wold performing in 2009 at the [[Hard Rock Calling]] festival in London's [[Hyde Park, London\|Hyde Park]]]] Wold made his first UK television appearance on [[Jools Holland]]'s annual ''[[Hootenanny (UK TV series)\|Hootenanny]]'' BBC TV show on [[New Year's Eve]] 2006. He performed a live rendition of "Dog House Boogie" on the "Three String Trance Wonder" and the "Mississippi Drum Machine". After that show his popularity exploded in Britain, and he commented "I can't believe it, all of the sudden I'm like the cat's meow!"<ref name="Op de Beeck, p. 159"/> He was well received in the UK, winning the [[2007 MOJO Awards\|2007]] [[MOJO Awards\|MOJO Award]] for Best Breakthrough Act and going on to appear at major UK festivals such as [[Reading and Leeds Festivals\|Reading, Leeds]] and [[Glastonbury Festival\|Glastonbury]]. In 2007 he played more UK festivals than any other artist. At that time, it was claimed in press coverage that he was 66 years old, though he was later demonstrated to be ten years younger.<ref name=stanley/> Line 108 ⟶ 109: ==Nickname== When asked about his nickname, Wold has said: "because it's just true: I always get [[Seasickness\|seasick]]". When he was ill on a [[ferry]] from Norway to Copenhagen, later in his life, a friend began playfully using the name and, despite Wold not rising to it for a while, it stuck. When asked about his name on British Sunday morning television show ''[[Something for the Weekend (TV programme)\|Something for the Weekend]]'', he replied, "I just get sick on boats".<ref name=OGrady/><ref>Op de Beeck, pp. 158-9</ref><ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ep7FyZAMqiE&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fuser%2FSeasickSteveOfficial&feature=player_profilepage \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606221643/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ep7FyZAMqiE&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fuser%2FSeasickSteveOfficial&feature=player_profilepage \|archive-date=2014-06-06 \|url-status=dead\|title=Miquita interview \|publisher=YouTube \|access-date=2010-08-27}}</ref> ==Personal life== Line 122 ⟶ 123: * ''[[I Started Out with Nothin and I Still Got Most of It Left]]'' (2008) * ''[[Man from Another Time]]'' (2009) * ''[[Songs for Elizabeth]]'' (2010)<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://991.com/Buy/ProductInformation.aspx?StockNumber=496733&PrinterFriendly=1\|title=Songs For Elizabeth\|website=991.com\|access-date=January 27, 2023}}</ref> * ''[[You Can't Teach an Old Dog New Tricks]]'' (2011) * ''[[Hubcap Music]]'' (2013) Line 130 ⟶ 132: * ''Blues in Mono'' (2020) * ''Only on Vinyl'' (2022)<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.totalntertainment.com/music/seasick-steve-only-on-vinyl/\|title=Seasick Steve – 'Only On Vinyl'\|website=TotalNtertainment\|date=September 7, 2022\|access-date=September 27, 2022}}</ref> * ''[[A Trip A Stumble A Fall Down On Your Knees]]'' (2024) ==Backing band== ;Current members * Dan Magnusson – drums, percussion <small>(2008–present)</small><ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/seasick_steve/reviews/12191 \|title=Album review: Seasick Steve - Review \|publisher=Uncut.co.uk \|access-date=2011-12-30}}</ref> * [[John Paul Jones (musician)\|John Paul Jones]] – bass guitar <small>(2011–~~present~~2013)</small><ref name="bbc.co.uk"/> * Isiah Ferrante - Backup Vocals Line 166 ⟶ 169: [[Category:American street performers]] [[Category:American blues singers]] [[Category:~~Slide~~American slide guitarists]] [[Category:American expatriates in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Atlantic Records artists]] Line 175 ⟶ 178: [[Category:Third Man Records artists]] [[Category:20th-century American guitarists]] [[Category:Musicians from Oakland, California]]