About Steve

About Steve

"He has more music in his feet than some people have in their whole gee-tar," drawled one Montana cowboy. He was referring to the rhythmic dance Steve does while picking and singing.

"I want to thank Steve Austin for opening the show for me. I noticed all of him was working!" said a Nashville star to the audience.

Austin keeps his hands, feet and voice working through the energetic originals and covers ranging from bluegrass to folk to contemporary Christian. His one-man show features guitar, banjo, fiddle, harmonica, voice and dance board.

Steve's earliest music experiences were positive. At about five, he heard a campfire singer on a family trip. "My parents couldn't drag me away until the very last note was sung," he comments. "I was mesmerized."

Later, his folks brought him from Wisconsin to Austin, Texas, New Orleans and Nashville. "I was there to listen, to soak up every note. I was amazed how friendly Nashville was. I was invited up on stage to perform, and I was only 15."

In his college years, he performed at restaurants to help make ends meet. In his early 20s, he played mostly pubs and worked in a forest fire lookout tower while living in a rustic cabin. Later, he found himself opening shows for Nashville stars when they came through Green Bay.

Today, Steve Austin hangs his hat near Nashville and recently appeared with bluegrass legend Jesse McReynolds.

Although he has five albums and two network appearances to his credit, Steve keeps a down-to-earth view of things. "My stage and studio work have to be balanced with family, church and tending my music store, employees and students."

"I love it all, and I'm in it for the long haul."

Steve Austin (third from left) will celebrate his 12th year in business during the month of March.  Austin owns Steve Austin Music in Portland.  (Photo submitted.)

Austin celebrating 12th year in business

 By Scott Wilson
The Portland Progressive
Page A1
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
(Reprinted with permission)

 When Steve Austin opened up his music store in Portland in the late 1990s, he will tell you he had no idea what he was doing.

He had never run a business before and he didn’t know anything about inventory, personnel, overhead, nothing. Austin took a true leap of faith when he opened the doors 12 years ago.

Well, starting March 1, Austin will be celebrating his 12th year in business and Steve Austin Music, located on Main Street in Portland, is going as strong as it ever has.

“From the very beginning, I hit my knees and said to God that ‘I can’t do it without your help. I don’t know how and you’re going to have to guide me,’” Austin said. “He’s been with me through 12 years of good and bad times, 12 years of making friends in the community.

“I now sell to individuals, churches and schools. I teach a lot and that is probably the backbone of my business. I love interacting with the people. I think we’ve made it and we’re going to be here for a while.”

 Austin, considered one of the top musicians in Middle Tennessee, tossed the idea of opening a business around one day after a moving experience with his son.

“I was a traveling musician and this was in the late 1990s. I was doing 300 shows a year and I would typically be gone a week at a time and then come home for a couple of days,” Austin said. “And sometimes I would even be gone for a month at a time.

“I became a father and my son was 9 months old. One day I was watching him sleep and he woke up, looked and me and burst into tears. That’s when I realized he barely knew his father. I started thinking then about how to get off the road.”

And after setting his mind to what he knew he had to do, nothing was going to stop him.

“I knew there wasn’t a music store between Gallatin and Bowling Green at the time and I kept thinking Portland would be a possibility for a location to open a store,” Austin relayed. “I kept touring but I kept my eye out and one day as I was driving through Portland on Highway 52, I had an impulse to turn and look at Main Street.

“I fought it because I had already looked there. But the impulses continued, so I drove down here and the building next to me was for sale. We made a deal with the seller on a handshake and I started out with six guitars and no real business knowledge.

“I had to learn as I went along and it took time to build the inventory and win the trust of people in town. I love this business, I love this town and I am in it for the long haul.”

Austin offers a wide variety of items and services for his customers. He has an assortment of musical instruments as well as a collection of music CDs.

“We have guitars, band instruments, banjos, antique guitars, everyone should be able to find something to meet their needs,” said Austin. “We have a large collection of bluegrass, gospel and traditional country CDs, so even if you can’t play anything but the radio, we have something for you.”

Austin also offers individual musical lessons.

“I am still planning everything we’re going to do for our anniversary celebration,” said Austin. “I would encourage everyone to stop by. The anniversary sale will run through the month of March and there will be something for everyone.”

Steve Austin Music is open Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. Austin can be reached at 615-323-0701, by email at steveaustinmusic@yahoo.com and on his Web site at www.steveaustinmusic.com