Today we’d like to introduce you to Steve Abele.
Hi Steve, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have spent my entire life in Ohio. From my earliest memories, I can say that I have always gravitated towards music… My Mom and Dad were always very supportive and allowed me to pursue my passion without question. I started piano lessons around age 8 from Beverly Summers and Guitar lessons from her son Nick Summers at Summers music in Wellston. I caught the music bug and am still pursuing success to this day. I started a DJ service around 12 years old while I attended St. Peter and Paul catholic school and provided music for school dances. I have always been fascinated by loud music and flashing lights, so rock music was right down my alley. I continued to practice and write songs into Jr. High and High School and there were plenty of opportunities to play in front of the school. My next-door neighbor Dennis Osborne introduced me to the band KISS, and that launched me in a trajectory to my dream to become a rock star.
I was lucky enough to be chosen for the 4-county college scholarship to The University of Rio Grande and Graduated with 2 degrees. It’s hard to believe that I played clubs in the tri-state area for sometimes up to 6 nights a week while attending college and keeping a grade point average enough to keep my scholarship. One instructor at Rio Grande, Michael Beaver, knew that I was burning the candle at both ends and would always say he would be my limo driver someday.
After graduation, I was full force into music starting my first band, “White Friday.”
We were an all-original band and immediately started putting out records. Brian Pithers from Radio One in the UK took a liking to us, and we received lots of airplay and press in England.
My next project was called “Head Dizzy” which was very successful we supported many National acts and released Several records and EPs. I’ve been lucky enough to play music with some of my childhood musical idols.
POM was my next band, and like the ones before, we released several records and were included in some rock magazines and Included on several compilation discs, including Spin Magazine and Walmart the Movie.
Dorothy was the next project again Churning out records and playing with Many famous bands.
Which leads me now to my current band SoHi which stands for Southern Ohio.
We released our self-titled CD and began recording music videos. Our biggest accomplishment came from our song entitled “Bucknut.” Our guitarist at the time, Jack Johnston, was able to get boxing great James Buster Douglas to appear in the video with his new whiskey 42-1. Also, the man with the golden voice Ted Williams also appeared, and both made the video special. Bucknut is about living and loving everything Ohio. Our videographer Tom Walton from Lazy Pancreas productions, Traveled the entire state filming city signs and Ohio landmarks to make the video great and has received so much attention to enable us to collaborate with some great people. For example, we filmed in front of Ohio’s best steakhouse, “The Scioto Ribber” In Portsmouth. Our good friends and Ribber owners Darren and Will Mault have been great as we all try to help promote each other and small businesses. And if that’s not all, we collaborated with Eric Austin from 5 Hives Ohio to produce our SoHi branded local honey. The venture was successful, and we loved to promote another Ohio business… Coming this fall, we are partnering With Busy Beaver Farms in Beaver, Ohio, and The Portsmouth Brewing company to release our own SoHi winter brew infused with orange peel, Ginger, and Busy Beaver Local Honey. Another small business Avorito Tacos also used SoHi honey to create the Holy Trinity Sohi taco, which was sold all over the state this summer. Sohi which includes myself, Jeromy Rupert, Laura Miller, and Kent Jolley, are going strong and continue to play live shows with national bands at The King of Clubs in Columbus as well as the tri-state area.
We recently recorded a version of Bucknut about the Cincinnati Bengals, and our new friend Bengal Jim from the “Before the Roar” tailgate at Paul Brown Stadium will be playing the tune at his events and helping us get it to more ears.
Myself and business partner, Eliot John Conry co own the Southern Ohio Guitar Show, which is held annually in Chillicothe, OH, and also am co-owner of OzTone Guitar Company. This along with my volunteer work always trying to raise money for The Humane Society of Jackson County by hosting fundraisers and live shows.
For all Facebook users you can find Sohi at facebook.com/sohiband #SoHi on Instagram, and 7 music videos are available on YouTube.
I am just a small-town boy that tries to help animals and people in need, support and promote local businesses and try to bring joy to people through music.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has been mostly smooth with help from family, friends, and music fans. I have struggled with Anxiety all my life which has sometimes made it difficult to handle many things at once. In a way, being very busy with music projects, volunteering, and my side businesses has helped me keep my mind busy and lessen the Anxiety. Every serious musician will tell you the difficulties in pursuit of fame. But we all think it’s worth it to chase our dreams
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I have worked in the telecommunications field for 25 years. Of course, music doesn’t pay so well, so I had to have a real job like most people. I’m most known for my musical achievements and am the most proud of all the smiles I generate when people love the music. The thing that sets Me apart from others is my nonstop Determination to be successful in music.
We’d love to hear about what you think about risk-taking.
Well, I believe most things in life have a degree of risk. My career in the cable TV industry, I was constantly at odds with bad weather, working alone at night in some dangerous situations, and am happy to say I made it though unscathed thanks to some coworkers who watched out for me.
I believe in sticking my neck out there if there is something I embrace and take to the next level. No risk, no reward /Nothing ventured, nothing gained are my mottos Things just don’t happen; you have to make them happen in my opinion. Including Music Business and helping the ones that can’t help themselves.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: #SoHi
- Facebook: Facebook.com/sohiband
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCP6cXTdGeJnMf8VY6Yk1oHQ
- Other: https://youtu.be/SubmIn0bbPs
