Nelson songwriter/guitarist/singer.
With appearances at The Nelson Arts Festival, Cider Fest, Snapafest, The Nelson Jazz & Blues Festival, The Little BIG Blues Fest and most venues across the Top Of The South, Steve Mitchell is a familiar name to music audiences around the region.
Either as a solo acoustic performer or with Nelson bands The Scintillators and Humankindness, the emphasis is on Steve’s original songs.
Drawing on a love of classic Pop and Soul songwriters from the 60s/70s, Steve strives to create songs that are thought-provoking, hard to define but easy to enjoy.
While Steve is best-known for his slide guitar work, there’s plenty more going on to serve the songs. Steve describes his guitar playing, developed from a mix of acoustic folk guitar and pre-war Country Blues, as ‘a homegrown funky fingerstyle of no fixed genre’.
Lyrics matter most to Steve, but there has to be a hookline too.
“I’m always so pleased when people pick up on the lyrics, that’s where the hard work goes in!” says Steve. “Putting meaningful words to a good tune is the age-old challenge. I write songs with the hope that people find them rewarding and enjoyable.”
Steve has also played with Sun City Soul, The DSG Trio and plays slide guitar for The Barnstormers – the house band of the Tasman Bay Blues Club.