Album Notes

“Howell and his sidemen display an obvious comfort with the material and guitar fans will enjoy the warm tones he coaxes from his Benedetto archtop. Howell's vocals easily glide over the music, but with enough character to make these interpretations his own. Engineered and mixed at Shreveport's Sandbox Recording Studio, the cd's crisp production lets all instruments shine, sure to please even the most discriminating high-end audio enthusiasts. This easy-going and enjoyable release will certainly gain Howell wider recognition. Simply put, this is how the pros do it.” – Living Blues Magazine

“Wow. Talk about your complete breath of fresh air! This is an awesome, awe inspiring collection of classic old tunes remodeled and reinterpreted by Steve Howell and company. Fantastic renditions of some time honored classic tunes. Howell shows a delicate balance of respect and admiration for his source material while still taking it to a new place for us. A wonderful album of great work.”
- Southwest Blues Magazine

"Steve Howell simply shines on his new release. Country, Blues and Jazz sounds that feature the guitar and vocal workings of a master musician. "Out of the Past" features a variety of music styles that are clean and uncluttered and are more than enjoyable to listen to. Steve presents his songs with an uncommon feel for the past music of days gone by. This album is excellent and should make waves throughout the music industry." - Roots Music Report (5 Stars)

"This band of brothers is exceptionally gifted in its ability to explore the most gentle of sensibilities with a meticulous and impressive acoustic guitar science that is quite clearly inspiring." - Big City Blues Magazine (5 Stars)

"Steve plays these songs his way. He has been playing them for years, but he does it without changing them. That's where his heart is. Of all my fingerpicking friends, Steve is the fingerpickingest." - Joe Osborn (legendary bassist who has played on hundreds of Top 40 pop, rock and country hits)

“Howell’s arch-top picking, marked by a lovely melodic sensibility, is immaculate, his vocals relaxed and honest. Songs like Charley Patton’s Moon Going Down” and Blind Teddy Darby’s “I Never Cried” surprisingly work as well in the small band arrangements created by Howell and Joe Osborn on bass.” - Blues Revue Magazine

“The [Texas] guitarist/ vocalist’s preference for roots music and vintage Tin Pan Alley in an intimate trio setting affords a rare, close-up opportunity to hear Joe Osborn work his masterful way with a song.” – Bass Player Magazine ‘BP RECOMMENDS’ section

"Out of the Past" is a delightful acoustic journey back in time to the Great American songbook. A must listen disc for today's songwriters and pickers alike." - James "The Blues Hound" Nagel - 90.1 KPFT Houston, TX

“The natural ease of Steve’s Chet Atkins-styled picking and the jazz trio format seamlessly blends these artifacts of Americana together. The intros to “Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams” and the absolutely gorgeous cover of Satchmo’s “When it’s Sleepy Time Down South” convey so much emotion on their own that the verses are almost anticlimactic. When he switches into a higher register...., as on Blind Teddy Darby’s “I Never Cried (Built Right On The Ground),” Steve finds a gentle yearning that suits him well, sort of a cross between Clapton and Alan “Blind Owl” Wilson. There’s true gold just beyond the pastoral horizon of “Out Of The Past...”
- OffBeat Magazine

Musicians: Steve Howell - Guitar and Vocals
Jim Caskey - Guitar
Joe Osborn - Bass, Acoustic Guitar
Darren Osborn - Drums and Percussion
David Osborn - Drums and Percussion

Recorded direct to digital at Sandbox Recording Studio, Shreveport, Louisiana

Produced by Darren Osborn, Joe Osborn, and Steve Howell

Engineered and Mixed at Sandbox Recording Studio by Darren Osborn.

Mastered by Ronn Lynn, Merlot Sound, Centerville, Tennessee.