The Steel Wheels Release New Video and Single Preview of New Album In 2015

  Upcoming Tour Includes Merlefest, Mountain Stage, Grey Fox Festival & More

The Steel Wheels, who released their third Album No More Rain last year, are previewing a song from their newest batch of music to be released in 2015. “We’ve Got A Fire” will be released as a video and as a 7” vinyl single and download on April 1, 2014. “The song speaks to a renewed passion within the band to pour ourselves into new songs and always polishing and adding to our live shows,” said Trent Wagler, lead singer of the band.

The Steel Wheels will be touring this year with appearances at Mountain Stage and some of the nation's premier festivals including - Merlefest, Grey Fox, Ogden Music Festival, Harvest Music Festival, Walnut Valley, and more - including their own festival that kicked off last year in Virginia. The Red Wing Roots Music Festival had 40 bands and artists on 4 stages and featured The Del McCoury Band, Pokey LaFarge, Preservation Jazz Hall Band, Tim O’Brien, Sam Bush, The Duhks, and more. The festival was a great success and will reprise July 11,12 and 13, 2014.

The music festival has a bigger purpose. “We want to help the Shenandoah Valley re-embrace its musical heritage and pass it to another generation,” said Wagler. “Our big dream is to go outside of just the festival and do education outreach into schools to give young people another kind of ‘popular music.'" 

Formed by four friends raised in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, The Steel Wheels have enthralled their loyal fanbase with a heady brew of original soulful mountain music. From a shared Mennonite background, they find harmony, simplicity, and a renewed respect for their heritage in a collective sound. Wagler’s weathered tenor is joined by bell-clear four-part harmonies as well as Eric Brubaker’s lively and evocative fiddle, Brian Dickel’s grounded yet buoyant upright bass, and Jay Lapp’s signature mandolin style, and it’s no surprise they have burst onto the Americana scene, becoming festival favorites and selling out venues across the country.

The genesis of “We’ve Got A Fire” came from songwriter Fred Eaglesmith,
backstage at a Vermont music festival. “Fred motivated me to write the song, “We’ve Got a Fire,” said Wagler. “It’s a good reminder to not let the rat race of the music business or any other rat race push you from being a truer, freer you. That’s where the song comes from.”

"I don't know that our Mennonite heritage explains a lot, but growing up Mennonite has had an influence on our band. Mennonites value simple living, social justice, and community,” said Wagler. “When we think about how we want to plug into the music business, our minds go more towards furthering community than super stardom. If there’s a kind of ‘faith’ involved, I have faith that investing in that part of music will pay off in the long term.”

www.thesteelwheels.com