steepwater band

Biography

The Steepwater Band, a Chicago-based rock and blues quartet, formed in 1998 when guitarist/vocalist Jeff Massey, drummer Joe Winters, and bassist Tod Bowers united after playing together in various rock and blues combos since their teens. Inspired by a cargo ship named Steepwater that Massey spotted on Lake Michigan, the trio quickly evolved from covering Delta blues legends like Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, and John Lee Hooker to crafting their own originals, blending gutsy hard rock, gritty blues, soulful boogie, roots rock, and psychedelia into a signature sound.[1][3][4][7] Their relentless touring ethic—performing nearly 200 shows annually and over 2,000 gigs in 27 years—built a fiercely loyal fanbase through electrifying live performances across the Midwest, Europe, and beyond, sharing stages with acts like Buddy Guy, Wilco, Gov't Mule, ZZ Top, and Deep Purple.[1][2][6]

The band's career progressed with a prolific catalog including 7 full-length albums, 3 live albums, and 2 EPs, starting with the shoestring-budget gem Revelation Sunday (2007), recorded in a Lake Michigan beach house and released in Europe by Evangeline Recordings. They expanded to a quartet around 2015 by adding guitarist Eric Saylors, formerly of the Healing Sixes, enhancing their guitar-driven Americana with jams and collaborations born from shared Midwest bills; bassist Tod Bowers later transitioned to Joe Bishop.[5][6][7] Albums like Shake Your Faith (produced by Jim Wirt) showcase their spontaneous studio approach, while their modern blues and southern rock style maintains uncompromised integrity amid constant road work, including European debuts at Azkena Rock Festival (2005) and sold-out Spanish shows (2006).[1][5]

Today, with Spotify genres spanning blues rock, modern blues, southern rock, roots rock, and blues (popularity 30), The Steepwater Band endures as a primal, passionate force—strut-inducing and honest—embodying Chicago's earthy blues heritage without chasing mainstream fame, instead prioritizing raw energy and endless gigs.[4][6][7]

Fun Facts

• The band's name comes from a cargo ship guitarist Jeff Massey spotted on Lake Michigan.
• Their debut European album Revelation Sunday was recorded on a shoestring budget in a Lake Michigan beach house, with the drummer’s brother and bassist as engineers.
• They've toured relentlessly, logging over 2,000 shows in 27 years, including a 2025 13-city East Coast sprint in just 17 nights.
• Originally a trio, they expanded to a quartet after guitarist Eric Saylors learned their songs from jamming on shared Midwest bills with his band Healing Sixes.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Muddy Waters - early stylistic influence from Delta blues covers (covered songs in early career) [pre-1998]
• Robert Johnson - early stylistic influence from Delta blues covers (covered songs in early career) [pre-1998]
• John Lee Hooker - early stylistic influence from blues covers (covered songs in early career) [pre-1998]

Key Collaborators

• Tod Bowers - original bassist and co-founding member (early albums including Revelation Sunday) [1998-~2015]
• Eric Saylors - guitarist/lap steel, joined as second guitarist after shared bills with Healing Sixes (recent albums and tours) [2015-present]
• Joe Bishop - current bassist and backing vocalist (2025 tours and new music) [~2015-present]
• Joe Winters - co-founding drummer and percussionist (all albums and 2000+ shows) [1998-present]

External Links

• Spotify