Steve Strongman's searing, blues soaked guitar and warm soulful vocal harmonies evokes the emotion, maturity and authenticity of classic blues themes like lost love, truth and hard times. Listening to him is guitar paradise, and it is this mastery of the instrument, along with dynamic songwriting, vocal and potent performance styles, that sets this artist apart. Having established himself as a musical force to be reckoned with, Strongman has quickly moved into the top ranks of Canadian Blues music, and is undeniably one of the most compelling young bluesmen in the scene today.

Beginning his professional career at the age of 16, playing clubs all around Southern Ontario, Strongman soon branched out touring extensively with rock, country and blues bands in venues like Opryland, Renfro Valley in Kentucky and opening for Roy Clark at his theatre in Branson Missouri. After a taste of L.A., playing with Columbia recording artist Tal Bachman, Steve chose to concentrate on his own rock band, Plasticine. With irresistible stage presence and gritty hard-driving rock & roll, Plasticine developed a devoted legion of fans and quickly garnered a record deal with the Allen Gregg venture Song Corporation. After the demise of the ill-fated Song Corp., Steve reconsidered his own musical future. Plasticine went their separate ways and Steve was opted as lead guitar player for Epic/Sony recording artist Kazzer leading to more touring of the United States, Canada as well as extensive tours in Europe. In between, he jammed out his blues solo act in venues all around Southern Ontario. But the Blues were calling louder and Strongman, drawn back to the style that first spoke to him, made a natural and resolute decision to answer.

So, twenty years later, and in a return to his roots, 2007 saw Strongman proudly presenting “Honey”, his debut blues release. This is an album that offers a seamless blend of old school and new originals that heralds the arrival of Canada’s newest Blues sensation. With nine originals on the 11 song play list, Strongman guides the feel and flow with ease and this ultra-cool musical gem is a high caliber work paving new ground with its pace changes, dynamics, atmosphere, melody, tricky riffs and mind blowing gritty greasy blues.

“Honey” caters to blues/rock fans with varied tastes, and the moment the first searing chords of the slide intro to “Hard Headed Lover “ kicks in on the airwaves, you know you’re in for a spectacular ride. Strongman wields his Dobro as deftly as his electric guitar, and from the more traditional styling of “Let’s Sleep on This”, featuring stellar horn performances by Terry Townson and Steve Hilliam of The Little Big Band, to the atmospheric, pure heart ballad “Soul Searching”, he glides through the grooves with cool guitar parts and evocative, sensitive vocals. A soul-powered Freddie King tribute comes in his full-throated appraisal of “Big Legged Woman”, but he shines the brightest when he burns up the strings with scorching licks and tricky riffs on tunes like “Honey” and “That’s Me”. Mentor and blues legend, Mel Brown, sits in and gets down to business on the classic “How Blue Can You Get”, and Strongman continues to bring it close to the bone with his slide work on “River” and “Birthday Song”. The ride winds down with the jazz tinged ballads “Silhouette” and “Keep it to Yourself”-and when it ends, you’ll want to do it all over again.

Through the years has shared the stage and bills with a range of musical who’s who from young rockers like Tal Bachman and Kazzer to Kim Wilson, James Harmon, Luther Tucker, Duke Robillard, Ronnie Earl, Roy Clark, Otis Clay, Jeff Healey and Watermelon Slim just to name a few. 2008 saw his mojo continue to rise, and after opening for Blues Legend Buddy Guy on his Canadian tour dates, and supporting Louisiana slide guitar legend Sonny Landreth on his only Canadian stop, this four time Hamilton Music Awards nominee is busier than ever.

The summer saw Steve performing as special guest guitarist and singer in tribute performances with Jeff Healey's Blues Band, and he continued delivering his own sprawling Blues/Rock hybrid across the land including performances at the Montreal International Jazz Festival, the Cisco Ottawa Blues Festival and Quebec’s Mont Tremblant International Blues Festival to name just a few. Strongman is currently gearing up for the International Blues Contest, in Memphis, TN, and is pre-production for a new album to be released in the spring of 2009.