Steve Nothem

Guitar, Banjo, Vocals

 

Steve's Bio:
    Steve Nothem grew up in a country western family.  His father was a Johnny Cash fan, Mom was a Charlie Pride follower.  As a kid, Steve enjoyed both as well as Merle Haggard, Buck Owens and others.  Steve received his first guitar - an electric one at that - in the fifth grade and started taking lessons at the West Bend Music Store.
    A friend of the family, Vern Keyser, had a local country western band called "Vern and the Wranglers".  Steve's parents took him along to shows because of his interest in country music.  After an unfortunate accident, Vern could no longer play his Gibson Hummingbird guitar and presented it to Steve to learn on (since Steve's electric was a pretty cheap model).  Needless to say, this act locked Steve into a country western path.  While normal kids were listening to "The Monkees" and "The Beatles", Steve was learning Johnny Cash licks on Vern's guitar.  Steve, as has been said, "was country when country wasn't cool".
    Because of his desire to play in a group, Steve joined a high school garage band in the early 70s.  It was nearly impossible to find high schoolers interested in country music and he was forced to play 70s rock & roll.  By this time, Steve was able to purchase his first Fender Telecaster guitar by mowing lawns in the neighborhood.  The high school band, "Down Home" ended after playing four shows - three grade school dances and at the wedding of the lead singer's cousin.
    In 1972, "Vern and the Wranglers" lost their bass player and Steve joined the band that had mentored him throughout his early years.  Steve played the bass for only a year.  At that point, the lead/steel guitar player quit and Steve got his dream gig.  He played lead and later picked up the pedal steel guitar.
    In 1976, Steve started filling in with "The Bill Sackett Trio", a polka variety band, after the band lost their guitar/banjo player.  Due to the dwindling number of country western clubs in the area which limited his other commitment, Steve answered the ad and got the job.  After a year of playing with both bands, Steve joined "The Bill Sackett Trio" full time.  Steve was not crazy about playing polka at the time but the band had a steady schedule and Steve needed income for college.  For the next 20 years, Steve and Bill played weddings and at polka clubs in southeastern Wisconsin.  In that time, Steve learned to love the polka.
    Eventually, "The Bill Sackett Trio" (later "The Bill Sackett Band" after the addition of a saxophone player) split up.  Steve and his wife worked for a disc jockey service for about 10 years and Steve was able to take a few fill-in jobs with other bands from time to time.  One of these jobs was with "Carol and the Keynotes" and after a handful of temporary spots, Steve stuck on a full time basis in 1993.

 

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