It’s summer time in Nashville, which is probably my favorite time of the year in Music City. There are plenty of places to cool off, especially if you can find the rumored beach in Nashville, which I discovered only a few weeks ago. However, if you’d like to cool off in the sense that you just need a day to relax and kick it with some of the town’s best local artists, you’re in luck. Musician’s Corner is back for another summer of live music in Centennial Park, with an excellent lineup to look forward to each week on Saturday afternoon. This week, after some spotty showers and thunderstorms, the heavens opened up and graced the park with a perfect afternoon of music, starting with Steve Moakler. Steve started things off with two original songs that immediately caught the attention of the crowd. It’s not hard to see why, especially since two of his songs were recently featured on the “October Baby” soundtrack. Last week, Moakler shot a one-take video of on of those songs, “Hesitate,” in his living room with a couple friends.
Steve moved to Nashville years ago from Pittsburg, PA. Since the change of scenery and slight culture shock, Moakler has already released two full-length albums after previously releasing two EPs; The Weight of Words (2007) and Like I Mean It (2008). In 2009, Moakler released his first album, titled All The Faint Lights. The title track was the second song included on the “October Baby” soundtrack, along with “Hesitate.” His new record, Watching Time Run, dropped on August 30, 2011 and is already one of my favorite pop albums of the year. Seriously, Moakler’s mature songwriting combined with his intuitive sense of melody and groove are just a few of the strengths you’ll hear throughout the album. Just check out the first track from Watching Time Run, titled “Waiting.”
There’s no doubt about it. Steve Moakler has a gift, and as a 23-year old artist in Nashville, I foresee some exciting opportunities in his near future. “I love being a part of the singer/songwriter tradition because it’s timeless, authentic, and vulnerable.” Steve declares, “The connection is personal, and my goal is to use that connection to point towards truth.” That’s another thing. He’s not only an emerging artist, but also an entrepreneur. In 2011, Moakler founded Free The Birds, an organization that funds freedom and restoration for women and children who have been exploited by human sex trafficking. Learn more about his story by watching the video below.
I’ve written over 100 articles for Music Without Labels since last summer, and I think this is the first time I’ve come across an artist at this level who is investing in something else besides his or her career. If you like new artists, then you may know that most of the ones that are successful have a story. Free The Birds is Steve Moakler’s story, and he just happens to write killer songs in the process. Get the rest of his new album, Watching Time Run, by clicking on the album art below.
By Steve Harpine | Nashville Ambassador | @Steve_MWL | Beat-Play & Music Without Labels, LLC
