Hands across the water: introducing Steve Peck, the new man on our block
March 03, 2025
Colin Randall writes: we are delighted to present our new North America editor, Steve Peck. He succeeds Bill Taylor, whose superb writing will nevertheless continue to grace our pages.
Steve is an American with a deep knowledge and love for British and Irish folk and folk-rock. We became acquainted, electronically, because we are both active on social media and frequent the same folk-related groups on Facebook.
His arrival at Salut! Live marks a small departure: unlike Bill, my deputy editor Andrew Curry and I (plus, for that matter, at least two occasional contributors, Pete Sixsmith and Mick Goulding, he is not a fervent supporter of Sunderland AFC. Instead he has a lifelong passion for baseball: affection for Chicago White Sox but no hesitation in declaring the Indianapolis Indians baseball side his favourite sports team of all time.
For good measure, Andrew has put together a Spotify playlist of the cassette mentioned by Steve, who now takes up his own story ….
Greetings! I’m truly honored to serve as Salut! Live’s North America editor, and I aspire to uphold the same level of excellence that Colin, Andrew and Bill have maintained on this highly respected site. Cheers!
I was born in the US in 1957, and my wife and I currently reside in Indianapolis, Indiana. As a young child, I was exposed to a wide variety of music, with my first interests being the Beatles and the country music my father loved. Peter, Paul & Mary was often heard in our household, and I was drawn to ballads like 500 Miles.
Country and folk were stepping stones to Simon & Garfunkel, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Gordon Lightfoot, and John Denver—my big heroes as a young teen. During the early 1970s, as the American singer-songwriter movement blossomed, I found a deep connection to its confessional lyrics and acoustic melodies.
However, when testosterone started raging, I devoured the heavy sounds of Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and the Who. I was off to the races as a rocker, later adding a passion for Yes, Pink Floyd, and other mind-expanding music. I was a big fan of Jethro Tull and particularly loved their folkish passages.
On the down-to-earth side, Bob Dylan and Neil Young were my top guns. In my naïveté, I didn’t realize that many of Dylan’s folk songs were rooted in the UK tradition—nor did I comprehend the influences that went into Tull’s acoustic work. Even when I became a Roy Harper fan, I still didn’t get the British folk connection. Undoubtedly, I had a lot to learn.
It wasn’t until I heard Steeleye Span’s Parcel of Rogues in the early 1980s that something deep within me stirred. Looking back, it was a seismic moment in my musical history. Shivers ran down my spine as I felt something “old”—something that I somehow knew.
Still, it wasn’t until the mid-1990s that I turned my laser focus on British folk rock. I was pretty burnt out on most music I was listening to, and folk from the UK opened a whole new, exciting door.
Richard Thompson and the three-volume compilation Troubadours of British Folk were major conduits, introducing me to Fairport Convention, Sandy Denny, Pentangle, Bert & John, Nick Drake and others. As a mix-tape nut, I compiled the homemade The Cold North Wind Does Blow and gave over 20 copies to family and friends for Christmas 1997. While I regularly cycle through phases of rock, heavy metal, prog, jazz, blues and country, UK folk/singer-songwriters have never leftmy rotation since then.
And here is Andrew’s playlist:
I’m amazed that while American roots music is of my very essence, UK folk has captured my heart. I come from British ancestry and feel a strong connection to my European heritage. Ten years ago, my discovery of Jackson C Frank tied the two shores together.
He was an American who had a profound influence on the budding Les Cousins folk scene in the London of 1965-66. His superb songwriting inspired his contemporaries to write their own works, and they, in turn, influenced future generations.
In addition to this history, I’m deeply passionate about modern artists like Johnny Flynn, Katherine Priddy, Oisin Leech, The Unthanks and others.
Today, I share my love of all types of music on my Facebook music blog, Hickory Notes. As a musical sponge, I soak up as much as I can. Reading Salut! Live has taught me a lot, and I’m eager to be part of the team. I’m very excited to be here!
Oisin Leech – October Sun
* Steve is retired, having worked in IT for Indiana University. As well writing the Hickory Notes Facebook music blog, he sells used records and CDs. He also works as an usher for the Indianapolis Indians minor league baseball team.
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Welcome, Steve! Sounds as if you'll fit right in. This is a good place to be. And a pretty broad church... I've managed in the past to slide in pieces on the Beach Boys, Bruce Springsteen and even Herman's Hermits.
Just need now to get you up to speed on Sunderland AFC. It's pretty easy ~ like the White Sox, they're a classic would-a, could-a, should-a team with a penchant for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. I say that as a dyed-in-the-indifference Toronto Blue Jays fan, still trying to milk those back-to-back 1992-93 World Series titles.
Posted by: Bill Taylor | March 03, 2025 at 02:26 PM
Thanks Bill! I know I have big shoes to fill. I'll do my very best.
As for football, since I don't have a favorite, and I don't follow the American leagues, I have now officially adopted Sunderland AFC as my official team of choice. It makes Salut! Live support unanimous once again! I see Sunderland is in 4th place right now, and has a pretty good record. Maybe this year is the year. I'm a sucker for merchandise, so I may even by a shirt or hat, or something.
Last season, the Chicago White Sox had the worst record in the history of major league baseball. Ouch! Yet, I remain ever so faithful. I anxiously await the start of the minor league season, with my first Indianapolis Indians game to usher on April 1. Not far away!
Posted by: Steve Peck | March 03, 2025 at 07:26 PM