Steve Wariner
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Steve Wariner | ||
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 Steve Wariner
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| Background information | ||
| Birth name | Steve Noel Wariner | |
| Born | December 25, 1954 | |
| Origin | Noblesville, Indiana | |
| Genre(s) | Country music | |
| Occupation(s) | country music singer | |
| Years active | 1974-Present | |
| Label(s) | RCA Records, MCA Records, Arista Records, Capitol Records | |
| Associated acts |
Dottie West, Chet Atkins, Vince Gill, Bryan White, Clint Black | |
Steve Wariner (born December 25, 1954 in Noblesville, Indiana) is an American country music singer, guitarist and songwriter. He was one of the most popular artists during the 1980s, thanks to a string of No. 1 singles recorded for both RCA and MCA records. After his popularity waned somewhat during the mid-1990s, he enjoyed a resurgance thanks to his 1998 hit "Holes in the Floor of Heaven."
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[edit] Career
Wariner began performing as a youth in his father's band and in local clubs. In 1971, he was hired as a bassist for Dottie West's band. He also worked heavily with Chet Atkins (one of his childhood influences) and he played with Bob Luman's band.
His first major recording contract was with RCA Records in 1978. His first single releases failed to chart in the top 40 of Billboard magazine's Hot Country Singles chart, although the song ("I'm Already Taken") was re-released in 1999, peaking at #3 that year. His first No. 1 hit came in December, 1981, with "All Roads Lead to You."
However, his real popularity didn't take off until the mid-1980s, when he began recording for MCA Records. During his six-year stint with MCA, he scored 18 consecutive top 10 hits, eight of them going to No. 1 on Billboard magazine's Hot Country Singles chart. The most successful of those songs included "Some Fools Never Learn" (1985, his second No. 1 hit), "What I Didn't Do" (1985), "You Can Dream of Me" (1986), "Lynda" (1987) and "I Got Dreams" (1989).
In the early 1990s, Wariner continued his success with Arista Records, with several of his songs reaching the top 10. But his success soon tapered off, as radio programmers became more interested in newer performers.
Wariner, however, continued to maintain his popularity through his instrumental talents. One example was 1991's "Restless," a collaboration with Ricky Skaggs, Vince Gill and Mark O'Connor (from O'Connor's album The New Nashville Cats). "Restless" won Wariner (as well as Skaggs and Gill) his first Grammy Award in 1991 for Best Country Vocal Collaboration. In 1996, Wariner released an album of all instrumental tracks called No More Mr. Nice Guy. Though well-received by critics, it proved to be Wariner's last album for Arista.
Wariner also remained in the public eye with his songwriting talents. His composition, "Longneck Bottle" (a No. 1 hit by Garth Brooks), along with a No. 1 duet from early 1998 with singer Anita Cochran called "What If I Said" (his first No. 1 in more than eight years) reinvigorated Wariner's career.
The highlight of Wariner's career came in the spring of 1998. Now recording for Capitol Records, his song "Holes in the Floor of Heaven" - a song about dealing with grief of close friends and relatives - promptly shot to No. 2 and won the Country Music Association awards for Single of the Year and Song of the Year.
Wariner also collaborated with other well-known singers and songwriters, including Clint Black and Bill Anderson; he also scored several more hits, most notably 1999's "Two Teardrops" and "I'm Already Taken" (the latter a re-recording of his 1978 debut release).
[edit] Singles
| Year | Title | US Country | Album |
| 1978 | I'm Already Taken | #63 | |
| 1981 | Your Memory | #7 | Steve Wariner |
| 1981 | By Now | #6 | Steve Wariner |
| 1981 | All Roads Lead To You | #1 | Steve Wariner |
| 1982 | Don't It Break Your Heart | #30 | Steve Wariner |
| 1982 | Kansas City Lights | #15 | Steve Wariner |
| 1983 | Don't Plan On Sleeping Tonight | #27 | Steve Wariner |
| 1983 | Midnight Fire | #5 | Midnight Fire |
| 1983 | Lonely Women Make Good Lovers | #4 | Midnight Fire |
| 1984 | Why Goodbye | #12 | Midnight Fire |
| 1984 | What I Didn't Do | #3 | One Good Night Deserves Another |
| 1985 | Heart Trouble | #8 | One Good Night Deserves Another |
| 1985 | Some Fools Never Learn | #1 | One Good Night Deserves Another |
| 1986 | You Can Dream of Me | #1 | One Good Night Deserves Another |
| 1986 | Life's Highway | #1 | Life's Highway |
| 1986 | That's How You Know When Love's Right (w/ Nicolette Larson) | #9 | Rose of My Heart (Nicolette Larson album) |
| 1986 | Starting Over Again | #4 | Life's Highway |
| 1987 | Small Town Girl | #1 | It's a Crazy World |
| 1987 | The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (w/ Glen Campbell) | #6 | Still Within the Sound of My Voice (Glen Campbell album) |
| 1987 | The Weekend | #1 | It's a Crazy World |
| 1987 | Lynda | #1 | It's a Crazy World |
| 1988 | Baby I'm Yours | #4 | I Should Be With You |
| 1988 | I Should Be With You | #2 | I Should Be With You |
| 1988 | Hold On (A Little Stronger) | #6 | I Should Be With You |
| 1989 | Where Did I Go Wrong | #1 | I Got Dreams |
| 1989 | I Got Dreams | #1 | I Got Dreams |
| 1990 | When I Could Come Home To You | #5 | I Got Dreams |
| 1990 | The Domino Theory | #7 | Laredo |
| 1990 | Precious Thing | #8 | Laredo |
| 1991 | There For Awhile | #17 | Laredo |
| 1991 | Leave Him Out of This | #6 | I Am Ready |
| 1991 | The Tips of My Fingers | #3 | I Am Ready |
| 1992 | A Woman Loves | #9 | I Am Ready |
| 1992 | Crash Course in the Blues | #32 | I Am Ready |
| 1993 | Like a River to the Sea | #30 | I Am Ready |
| 1993 | If I Didn't Love You | #8 | Drive |
| 1994 | Drivin' and Cryin' | #24 | Drive |
| 1994 | It Won't Be Over You | #18 | Drive |
| 1994 | Drive | #63 | Drive |
| 1998 | What If I Said (w/ Anita Cochran) | #1 | Burnin' the Roadhouse Down |
| 1998 | Holes in the Floor of Heaven | #2 | Burnin' the Roadhouse Down |
| 1998 | Burnin' the Roadhouse Down (w/ Garth Brooks) | #26 | Burnin' the Roadhouse Down |
| 1999 | Every Little Whisper | #36 | Burnin' the Roadhouse Down |
| 1999 | I'm Already Taken (re-release) | #3 | Two Teardrops |
| 1999 | Two Teardrops | #2 | Two Teardrops |
| 2000 | Been There (w/ Clint Black) | #5 | D'Lectrified (Clint Black album) |
| 2000 | Faith In You | #30 | Faith In You |
| 2000 | Katie Wants a Fast One (w/ Garth Brooks) | #22 | Faith In You |
| 2003 | Snowfall on the Sand | #55 | Steal Another Day |
[edit] Trivia
- Wariner performed the theme song to the ABC situation comedy Who's the Boss? from 1986-1990. The theme song is entitled "Brand New Life."
- Wariner is a member of the Grand Ole Opry, having joined the cast in 1996.
- Steve's middle name is "Noel" because he was born on Christmas (December 25).
