George Strait – Evan Steele

When Evan received his first guitar he immediately taught himself to play, put together a band, and although only in 6thgrade, he started to book gigs. He found his true forte was singing, and in addition to fronting his own band, he performed in both his school and his church choirs. When it came time for college, Evan left his childhood hometown of Alexandria, VA to go to the world’s country music capital – Nashville, where he earned post graduate degrees in psychology and law.

Although music was now his avocation, it remained a major part of his life. He performed in numerous regional bands and toured from Tennessee to northern New England. After 18 years in Nashville, his practice of law took him to Connecticut where he founded a 6 piece country music band that earned the honors of being named “Band of the Year” and “Vocal Band of the Year” by the Connecticut Country Music Association and the New England Country Music Association. Evan personally earned the distinction of being named “Entertainer of the Year” for three consecutive years. Another relocation brought him to Sarasota where he has enjoyed playing with Wild Horse, Rode Hard, Ghost Town Posse, Holler Back, Kim Betts and Gamble Creek, the Joyland Backline Band, The Daisy Dukes Band and as George Strait in the tribute show honoring the King of Country Music – The George Strait Experience Tribute Show.

You may have seen Evan on a cruise ship as he has performed on several Princess, Carnival, Holland America and Cunard ships, both as a solo artist and as Cruise Director. He has also performed at numerous charity events, including Paul Newman’s Hole In The Wall Gang benefit at Rockefeller Center in New York and also at the Roxy in Boston. Locally he is proud to have donated his talents to organizations such as All Faiths Food Bank, Toys For Tots, F.A.M.E. (Friends for the Advancement of Musical Education), Florida Railroad Museum, Sahib Shrine, Shriner’s Hospital, Selby Gardens, YMCA, Manatee Children’s Services and Palmetto Animal Shelter. Throughout his career Evan has had the pleasure of opening for the Bellamy Brothers, Larry Boone, Boy Howdy, Confederate Railroad, Roy Clark, Charlie Daniels, Jimmy Dean, Joe Diffie, Dixiana, Holly Dunn, Vince Gill, Great Plains, Josh Gracin, Highway 101, Dave Loggins, Patty Loveless, Barbara Mandrell, Lorrie Morgan, Buck Owens, Pirates of the Mississippi, Marie Osmond, Kenny Rogers, Dan Seals, Ricky Skaggs, Mel Tillis, Pam Tillis, Tanya Tucker, Phil Vasser and Michelle Wright.