Steve Palazzo has been involved with music his entire life. A couple of decades ago he was making instruments. And since the early ’90s, he’s been a full-time guitar teacher. However, a lot of folks might know Palazzo for the bluegrass band Homefire, which was together for a quarter-century before calling it quits just a few years ago.
That hasn’t stopped Palazzo from playing music. Now he plays shows under his own name, drawing from similar roots music influences but with a more intimate feel.
“Part of it was I wanted to do some different stuff besides straight-ahead traditional bluegrass. I wanted to do smaller ensemble stuff,” Palazzo says. “It’s been fun working on these tunes with a smaller group. There’s certain things we couldn’t do with a bigger ensemble. We put a little more emphasis on the vocals.”
There’s also an album in the works, one that Palazzo has been working on for the better part of a year. Part of the reason it’s taken so long is that he’s been bringing in different local and touring musician friends to record on various tracks. He’s hoping to have his solo record out this spring, and believes Americana music lovers will truly appreciate it.
“I’m attracted to those roots styles. There’s traditional fiddle tunes, one track is a Johnny Cash tune, but we arranged it with fiddle and mandolin, and two guitars. It’s traditional stuff,” Palazzo says. “I’ve played this music long enough where my versions of these tunes are never exactly like anybody else’s at this point. There’s some straight-ahead bluegrass, but then there’s just some fingerpicking stuff.”
INFO: 7 p.m. Sunday, April 10. Don Quixote’s, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $15. 335-2800
