I first knew of Steve Madewell as dedicated and highly effective proponent for the conservation of our natural places in northeast Ohio. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that his CD, "Rivers and Trails", reflects another equal talent in Steve. His songs really strike a chord and do an outstanding job of capturing the magic of what makes being on the stream so special to many of us. Everybody who enjoys the outdoors should do themselves a favor and get a copy of this CD! Mike Durkalec, Aquatic Resource Manager, Cleveland Metroparks

Steve Madewell is quite an accomplished steelhead trout fisherman and an all-around sportsman, but he's an even better purveyor of fishing tunes with snappy lyrics that have outdoors folds tappin' their toes. Just listen to "Spawn 'till I Die" on his new CD, "Rivers and Trails" and you'll have to agree his songs are something special. D"Arcy Egan Cleveland Plain Dealer

I've listened over and over to this disk and keep finding new things. This collection of songs truly describes Steve's passion for water with poetry, humor and maturity in a way that makes me want to dust off my waders and go see what I was missing. From the first song "The Knot that Binds" to the final chord of "One More Cast" the recording "Rivers and Trails" will take you on a wonderful journey through a water filled world. Alex Bevan

Songwriter strums ecological message Parks administrator makes festival debut Monday, July 26, 2004 Barb Galbincea Plain Dealer Reporter The audience, many bearing fragrant and sloppy foil-wrapped delicacies, perched on elevated benches and swung their legs lazily to the melody flowing from Steve Madewell's acoustic guitar. A performer at the Little Mountain Folk Festival in Kirtland Hills over the weekend, Madewell, 48, has opened for the likes of Leon Russell and John Sebastian. It was Madewell's first appearance at Little Mountain, with its multiple outdoor stages for scheduled entertainment as well as space for impromptu jam sessions in the shade of towering trees. Thousands of people attended the two-day event, in its 19th year, on the grounds of the Lake County History Center. Madewell, a Dayton native whose first paying gig was at a junior high-school classmate's party, grew up in a family of musicians. He now writes much of what he performs, including his first CD, "Rivers and Trails," finished last winter. The lyrics often reflect his passion for conservation, despair over global warming, acid rain, over-development and America's petrochemical dependency. "We just struggle to find somebody to blame," he said. "We don't embrace responsibility." His songs also are inspired by love, world events, Ohio history and even his own tendency to be chronically late. His friends provide frequent fodder for lyrics. Consider "The Ballad of Henry Coerdt," an ode to a fishing buddy who Madewell said once pelted him with eggs from an abandoned bird's nest. "I told him I'd get even," he said, grinning. More information about Madewell and his music, including scheduled performances, is available at www.madewellmusic.com. To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: bgalbincea@plaind.com, 216-999-4185