The Steel Woods

The Steel Woods are an American country music group[1] from Nashville, Tennessee,[2] exploring a variety of genres – stringing together lyrically strong songs, a big sound and well-put together harmonies, they have created a new sound that is being dubbed "Smart Southern Rock."[3] A quartet of Southern rock traditionalists from Nashville, The Steel Woods lay claim to the sound pioneered by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Like Skynyrd, The Steel Woods balance heavy blues-rock with Southern poetry, and they add a bit of plainspoken outlaw country to the mix, as evidenced on their 2017 debut, Straw in the Wind.[4]

The Steel Woods
Wes Bayliss, Jason "Rowdy" Cope, Johnny Stanton, and Isaac Senty of The Steel Woods
Background information
OriginNashville, Tennessee, United States
Genres
Years active2016–present
Labels
Woods Music, Thirty Tigers
Associated acts
Websitethesteelwoods.com
Members
  • Wes Bayliss
  • Johnny Stanton
  • Isaac Senty
Past members
  • Jason "Rowdy" Cope

Though their style is unapologetically Southern Rock and Rock, just pull back the layers to find lyrics that feature passionate storytelling and messages that resonate.[5] At first glance, Nashville four-piece The Steel Woods may seem like a chip off the ol' Skynyrd block. But you're just as likely to hear hints of Ricky Skaggs in the outfits' rollicking bluegrass rock as Southern rock heroes like Skynyrd or The Allman Brothers Band.[6]

Lead singer Wes Bayliss' Southern fried vocal certainly fits among the long list of long-haired rebel rockers, but there's a certain subtlety to The Steel Woods you just don't hear in modern Southern rock. Much of that comes from the band's affinity for old country tunes. "I grew up on Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Led Zeppelin," says co-founder and guitarist Jason "Rowdy" Cope.[6][7]

The themes reflected in their music range from perseverance and unity to hope and resilience. Inspired by conversations they had with people they met on the road, The Steel Woods strive to find common ground through shared life experiences and a musical connection.[5]

Over the last few years, the band has built a loyal and passionate fan base through their road warrior touring mentality and extraordinary live shows. Whether headlining or supporting artists such as Dwight Yoakam, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Jamey Johnson, Cody Jinks, Miranda Lambert and Blackberry Smoke, among others, The Steel Woods consistently convert audiences with each performance.[5]

The band sounds like "drinking a bottle of bourbon and having inebriated hallucinations of Gregg Allman and Lucinda Williams standing hand in hand in powder-blue choir robes, as ‘Melissa’ plays in the background," the staff of Rolling Stone wrote in a May 2017 "10 New Country Artists to Know" list.[1]

With a pair of critically acclaimed Woods Music/Thirty Tigers releases under their belts in Straw in the Wind (2017) and Old News (2019), Nashville-based The Steel Woods have lived up to their name as a hybrid musical force both in the studio and live.[1]

Founding member and guitarist Jason "Rowdy" Cope died on January 16, 2021.

History

The Steel Woods were cofounded by Wes Bayliss and Jason "Rowdy" Cope. Bayliss is a multi-instrumentalist and lead singer with soulful pipes like Chris Stapleton, while lead guitarist Jason "Rowdy" Cope brought the outlaw spirit, having played in Jamey Johnson’s band for nine years.[8]

The band’s two original members are native sons of the south who both hail from small-town backgrounds. Cope, 42, and Bayliss, 28, led Steel Woods together despite the 13-year difference in their ages. Cope’s experience and Bayliss’ freshness are complementary, Cope said.[8]

Frontman Wes Bayliss grew up in Woodland, Alabama, playing music in his family's gospel band. By the age of 12, he was playing harmonica, mandolin and guitar. In 2007, he moved to Mobile, Alabama, where he experimented further, booking gigs on everything from drums and bass to keys.

Jason "Rowdy" Cope picked up a guitar at the age of 11 and wrote his first song shortly thereafter. He brought his highly technical, all-American talent as The Steel Woods’ guitar lead and producer. After eight years working as a Los Angeles-based musician, he moved to Nashville in 2007 and quickly joined up with Jamey Johnson’s band. In his nine years with Johnson, Cope co-wrote "Can’t Cash My Checks," and helped Johnson make the Grammy nominated and critically acclaimed albums "That Lonesome Song" (2008) and "The Guitar Song" (2010).[3]

The two met in Nashville playing for the same cover band in some out-of-town dive, and immediately discovered an affinity for each other.

After first becoming friends, the two eventually wound up collaborating, adding bassist Johnny Stanton and original drummer Jay Tooke to round out the lineup. An eponymous EP came out in 2016, and the next year saw the release of Straw in the Wind on Thirty Tigers/Woods Music. In early 2020, Isaac Senty was named as drummer.[9]

Over the course of just over three years as a band, The Steel Woods have toured with fellow Southern rockers like Cody Johnson, Cody Jinks, Whiskey Myers and Blackberry Smoke as well as inspirations such as Lynyrd Skynyrd and Miranda Lambert, performing in Europe for the first time last year.[8]

In between another hectic year of concert dates, The Steel Woods are also preparing to release their third studio album for Woods Music/Thirty Tigers.

"We’re going to tour these two records and do everything in our power to do them justice and get our music out to our fans," says Wes. Rolling Stone said The Steel Woods repurposed their cover of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ "Southern Accent" into a "roaring... Southern rock power ballad,"[1][10]

They recorded their second release, Old News, in Asheville at the site of an old church during a break in their busy touring schedule. The whole band played in a single room, cutting the tracks virtually live.[11]

Their album Straw in the Wind was released on May 19, 2017, with a guest vocal appearance by Lindi Ortega. Influences on the album range from Led Zeppelin and Metallica to Darrell Scott and Jason Isbell. It was the band's debut album. Brent Cobb also contributed as a songwriter. While it came out in the United Kingdom on May 18, it came out in the United States on May 19. On June 10, 2017, it was at 42 on the Independent Albums chart put out by Billboard.[12]

They released a music video for their track "Straw in the Wind" in July 2017.

They released their second album, Old News, on January 18, 2019.

Personnel
  • Wes Bayliss – guitar and vocals
  • Jason Cope – guitar (d. 2021)
  • Johnny Stanton – bassist
  • Isaac Senty – drums

Albums
  • Straw in the Wind (2017)
  • Old News (2019)

See also

References
  1. "10 New Country Artists You Need to Know: May 2017", Rolling Stone, May 9, 2017, retrieved September 19, 2017
  2. Stroud, Scott (June 1, 2017), Review: The Steel Woods honor southern rock tradition, Associated Press, retrieved September 19, 2017
  3. Pisgah, Brewing (July 29, 2019). "The Steel Woods". Pisgah Brewing.
  4. Beaudoin, Jedd. "The Steel Woods Plead For Civility With 'Old News'". www.kmuw.org. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  5. "Interview: Steel Woods @ Live Divide/Eagles Bozeman – June 2019". The BoZone. 2019-06-14. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  6. Burchard, Jeremy (2017-05-17). "Band to Watch: The Steel Woods, One of Southern Rock's New Revivalists". Wide Open Country. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  7. "The Steel Woods: Straw in the Wind". PopMatters. 2017-07-19. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  8. "The Steel Woods – MoxieTalk with Kirt Jacobs". MoxieTalk. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  9. "The Steel Woods :: Official Site". The Steel Woods. 2017-06-23. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  10. Seely, Mike (2017-04-13). "Hear Southern Rock Band the Steel Woods' Propulsive 'I'm Gonna Love You'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  11. "Southern Rockers The Steel Woods Take a Big Leap Forward". glidemagazine.com. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  12. "Independent Albums Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
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