Steve Pledger - live music at Art & Soul

Steve Pledger is a multi-award-winning recording artist with an enviable reputation as a talented and dynamic performer. With writing that ranges from fragile reflections on love and loss to blistering commentaries on present circumstances, his songs pack an emotional punch, both on record and on stage.

His musical influences are many and varied including Graham Parker, Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam, Martyn Joseph, Van Morrison, Don McLean, Springsteen, Loudon Wainwright lll and others. Following on from his 2012 debut album ‘14 Good Intentions’, April 2015 saw Steve release its follow-up, ‘Striking Matches In The Wind’, which according to R2 Magazine’s 4* review is “Authentically expressed in a voice with genuine appeal... a direct route to the heart.” In addition to Steve’s central performances, the album is graced by a number of other talented artists, including Lukas Drinkwater with whom Steve has continued to collaborate since.

Successful tours over the last few years have taken him around the UK, including for an annual run of dates across Scotland. Steve’s much anticipated third album, ‘Somewhere Between’ (released April 2016 to critical acclaim) appeared on multiple ‘Best of 2016’ radio shows - frequently in the top ten - and in January 2017 was announced as Album Of The Year by FATEA, as well as by FolkWords in their Male Solo Artist category.

In February 2019, Steve launched his live music initiative, On Trust Events, to help make live music more accessible to all, regardless of their financial situation. It was nominated for a FATEA Award for ‘Innovation’ in January 2020.

October 2019 saw Steve release his first live (mini) album, 'Alone In The Dark'. Featuring 7 of his best-loved songs played live and solo, it made it on to several ‘Best of 2019’ lists, including Roots & Fusion’s ‘25 Essential Albums of the Year’.

The challenges faced by all during 2020 resulted in Steve’s quietest period for some years. Contracting Covid himself in the early Spring and experiencing elements of its long-lasting effects, he did manage to record three tracks at home. All well-received, the third - ‘The Baptist’s Father’ - is a piano-backed, spoken-word version of a previously unreleased song and, in January 2021, was awarded the FATEA ‘Track Of The Year’.

2022 saw Steve return to regular live performance as well as the release of his 4th studio album, ‘What Tomorrow Knows’. Well-received by audience and critics alike, Folk & Tumble described it as ‘the protest album the world needs’. (5/5)

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“Poetic, knowing, clever, thoughtful & melodic; the world would be a far better place with more of this stuff." (8/10) Americana-uk

“An object lesson in the craft of contemporary song

writing.” fRoots Magazine

“(‘Somewhere Between’) casts Steve as a protest singer, up there with the likes of Billy Bragg, Phil Ochs and Ewan MacColl.” Neil King, FATEA Magazine

“Extraordinary! If you haven’t found Steve before, you have now!” Folking.com