Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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WARINER, Steve

(b 25 Dec. '54, Noblesville IN) Country singer, guitarist and songwriter. Began in family combo run by his father and uncle; served apprenticeship in road bands of Dottie West, Bob Luman; signed with RCA and had minor hits with 'I'm Already Taken' (his own song, later a no. 1 for Conway Twitty), climbed the charts until no. 1 'All Roads Lead To You' '82. Further hits incl. 'Midnight Fire' and 'Lonely Women Make Good Lovers' '83, 'What I Didn't Do' '84, all in top five; he switched to MCA for more control over his product: hits incl. no. ones 'Some Fools Never Learn' '85, 'You Can Dream Of Me', 'Starting Over Again', 'Small Town Girl' all '86; also duets with Nicolette Larson ('That's How You Know') and Glen Campbell ('The Hand That Rocks The Cradle'). A good guitar player, Wariner was allowed to play lead guitar on his recordings, contributing to a string of no. ones including 'Small Town Girl', 'The Weekend', 'Lynda', 'I Got Dreams', etc. He was featured on the Grammy-winning 'Restless' by Mark O'Connor and the New Nashville Cats '91, moved to Arista same year: a remake of Bill Anderson's 'The Tip Of My Fingers' was a big hit '92, but Wariner found it increasingly hard to gain radio plays, though making some of his best music. He played guitar alongside Mark Knopfler, Chet Atkins (his idol and mentor), Lonnie Mack and Al Di Meola, and achieved a lifelong ambition with all-instrumental album No More Mr. Nice Guy '96. Other albums incl. Midnight Fire '83, Down In Tennessee '86 on RCA; Life's Highway '85, It's A Crazy World '87, I Should Be With You '88, I Got Dreams '89, Laredo '90 all on MCA; I Am Ready '91, Drive '93 on Arista.