Steve Ripley
Encyclopedia
Steve Ripley http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=154674315 is a recording artist, songwriter
, studio engineer, guitarist
, and inventor. He has been active in the music business since 1977. He is also the leader/producer of country rock
band The Tractors
.
.
As a producer, recording engineer, and studio musician, he has worked with Bob Dylan
(on Shot of Love
) and on the Shot of Love tour http://expectingrain.com/dok/who/r/rosatoarthur.html, with J. J. Cale (on Shades, 8, and Roll On
), and he produced Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown and Roy Clark
(on "Makin' Music".)
Ripley started Ripley Guitars in 1982. He created guitars for Steve Lukather, J.J. Cale, John Hiatt
, Ry Cooder
, Jimmy Buffett
and Eddie Van Halen
before moving to Tulsa to buy Leon Russell
's former studio called "The Church Studio."http://www.thetractors.com/headquarters.php In 1994 he formed the country band The Tractors. In 2002 he created his own record label (Boy Rocking Records) to produce artists including The Tractors
, Leon Russell
and The Red Dirt Rangers.http://www.thetractors.com/bios.php ("Ranger Motel") In 2009 he produced a 20 part radio series on the history of Oklahoma Rock and Roll that aired on Oklahoma public radio stations called:Oklahoma Rock and Roll with Steve Ripley.http://oklahomarockandroll.com/about
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, studio engineer, guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
, and inventor. He has been active in the music business since 1977. He is also the leader/producer of country rock
Country rock
Country rock is sub-genre of popular music, formed from the fusion of rock with country. The term is generally used to refer to the wave of rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s, beginning with Bob Dylan and The Byrds; reaching its greatest...
band The Tractors
The Tractors
The Tractors is an American country rock band composed of a loosely associated group of musicians, headed by guitarist Steve Ripley. Under the band's original lineup, The Tractors was signed to Arista Records in 1994, releasing their self-titled debut album that year; the album went on to become...
.
Biography
Ripley attended Glencoe High School in Glencoe, OklahomaGlencoe, Oklahoma
Glencoe is a town in Payne County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 583 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Glencoe is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
.
As a producer, recording engineer, and studio musician, he has worked with Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
(on Shot of Love
Shot of Love
Shot of Love is singer-songwriter Bob Dylan's 21st studio album, released by Columbia Records in August 1981.It is generally considered to be Dylan's last of a trilogy of overtly religious, Christian albums. Also, it was his first since becoming born-again to focus on secular themes, from...
) and on the Shot of Love tour http://expectingrain.com/dok/who/r/rosatoarthur.html, with J. J. Cale (on Shades, 8, and Roll On
Roll On (J. J. Cale album)
Roll On is the fourteenth studio album released solely of J. J. Cale penned material. It has been released on February 24, 2009, by Rounder Records. Songs include "Who Knew", "Former Me", and "Roll On;" the latter of which is the title track, and is a collaboration with Eric Clapton...
), and he produced Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown and Roy Clark
Roy Clark
Roy Linwood Clark is an American country music musician and performer. He is best known for hosting Hee Haw, a nationally televised country variety show, from 1969–1992. Clark has been an important and influential figure in country music, both as a performer and helping to popularize the genre...
(on "Makin' Music".)
Ripley started Ripley Guitars in 1982. He created guitars for Steve Lukather, J.J. Cale, John Hiatt
John Hiatt
John Hiatt is an American rock guitarist, pianist, singer, and songwriter. He has played a variety of musical styles on his albums, including New Wave, blues and country. Hiatt has been nominated for several Grammy Awards - although he has never won- and has been awarded a variety of other...
, Ry Cooder
Ry Cooder
Ryland Peter "Ry" Cooder is an American guitarist, singer and composer. He is known for his slide guitar work, his interest in roots music from the United States, and, more recently, his collaborations with traditional musicians from many countries.His solo work has been eclectic, encompassing...
, Jimmy Buffett
Jimmy Buffett
James William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett's musical hits include "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday"...
and Eddie Van Halen
Eddie Van Halen
Edward Lodewijk "Eddie" Van Halen is a Dutch-American guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter and producer, best known as the lead guitarist and co-founder of the hard rock band Van Halen, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...
before moving to Tulsa to buy Leon Russell
Leon Russell
Claude Russell Bridges , known professionally as Leon Russell, is an American musician and songwriter, who has recorded as a session musician, sideman, and maintained a solo career in music....
's former studio called "The Church Studio."http://www.thetractors.com/headquarters.php In 1994 he formed the country band The Tractors. In 2002 he created his own record label (Boy Rocking Records) to produce artists including The Tractors
The Tractors
The Tractors is an American country rock band composed of a loosely associated group of musicians, headed by guitarist Steve Ripley. Under the band's original lineup, The Tractors was signed to Arista Records in 1994, releasing their self-titled debut album that year; the album went on to become...
, Leon Russell
Leon Russell
Claude Russell Bridges , known professionally as Leon Russell, is an American musician and songwriter, who has recorded as a session musician, sideman, and maintained a solo career in music....
and The Red Dirt Rangers.http://www.thetractors.com/bios.php ("Ranger Motel") In 2009 he produced a 20 part radio series on the history of Oklahoma Rock and Roll that aired on Oklahoma public radio stations called:Oklahoma Rock and Roll with Steve Ripley.http://oklahomarockandroll.com/about
The Tractors
- 1994 : The TractorsThe Tractors (album)The Tractors is the eponymous debut album of American country music band The Tractors. Released in August 1994 on Arista Records, it set a record for becoming the fastest-selling debut album by a group to achieve Recording Industry Association of America platinum certification in the United States;...
(Arista) - 1995 : Have Yourself a Tractors ChristmasHave Yourself a Tractors Christmas-Chart performance:...
(Arista) - 1998 : Farmers in a Changing World (Arista)
- 2001 : Fast Girl (Boy Rocking)
- 2002 : The Big Night (Boy Rocking)
- 2005 : The Kids Record (Boy Rocking)
- 2009 : Trade Union (Boy Rocking)
Incidental Music
- 1976: "Flying Upside Down in My Plane" (part of the soundtrack in the film, Deportee)