Album Notes

"Steve's songs reveal a sharp eye for detail, an ear for the unexpected chord, and create a mood that makes these newer works sound as if they've been around for years and sung by many. No small praise."

- David Roth, Songwriter, Recording Artist

Rarely does an independently produced CD merit repeat listening. But that's the case with The Way Things Used to Be. Sit on the front porch with a glass of cold lemonade, put your feet up, lean back and listen. You'll soon find yourself lost in crystal clear imagery and emotion. Warner has a John Prine-like knack for hooking you in with uncluttered charm and directness.

The Way Things Used to Be is the long overdue set from a writer who has won numerous awards, has had four covers of his songs, and is now gaining recognition on Nashville's Music Row. The songs offer an engaging variety... country blues, tender ballads, a fiddle hoedown, a waltz ... and deal with both light-hearted nostalgia and social issues not typically tackled. The arrangements are meticulously woven from a variety of instruments - steel guitar, fiddle, mandolin, dobro, banjo, cello, bass harmonica and, of course, acoustic guitars. The playing is articulate, tasteful and right on target.


"Today's crop of 'edgy' singer/songwriters has much to learn from guys like Steve Warner...much to learn about writing from the heart, appealing to simple human emotion and touching the universals that are ever more meaningful as life in the 21st century unfolds. Steve's new CD, "The Way Things Used to Be" is a friendly, warm journey through territory that is familiar to middle-agers everywhere. Its country and folk influences meld together in a way that is unpretentious, tapping into our collective memories of summer breezes on the front porch, the laughter of kids at the swimming hole, and the pain of love lost and recollected. In a voice reminiscent of John Prine and Greg Brown, Steve Warner will take you back home and let you touch once more the way things used to be. He's the real thing."

-Eric Garrison, Songwriter, Artist, Venue Host

"Steve's voice sounds a bit like Willie, a bit like Don Henley of the Eagles and a mixture of country/folk. He conveys just the right amount of emotions, which is not easy. One settles down into each song and feels right at home."
-Lisa Fenstermacher, Contemporary Christian Songwriter, Artist