{{short description|American songwriter}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Steve Nardella | image = | caption = | image_size = | birth_name = | alias = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1948|6|26|mf=y}} | birth_place = Providence, Rhode Island, United States | death_date = | death_place = | instrument = Guitar, harmonica, vocals | genre = Blues, rock and roll, blues rock, rockabilly<ref name="AMG"/> | occupation = Guitarist, singer, harmonicist, songwriter | years_active = 1970s-present | label = | website = }}

'''Steve Nardella''' (born June 26, 1948, in Providence, Rhode Island, United States)<ref name="AMG"/> is an American blues, rock and roll, blues rock and rockabilly guitarist and singer. The ''Allmusic'' journalist, Cub Koda, described Nardella as a "strong, American roots-music performer, equally adept at rockabilly and low-down blues".<ref name="AMG"/>

==Biography== Nardella became proficient on both guitar and harmonica by his late teens, and by the late 1960s was in the Black Cat Blues Band with Duke Robillard, Johnny Nicholas and Fran Christina. By 1971, Nardella, Nicholas and Christina had all relocated to Ann Arbor, Michigan.<ref name="Kettle">{{cite web|url=http://blackkettleproductions.com/?p=14|title=Steve Nardella|publisher=Black Kettle Productions.com|accessdate=November 16, 2010|archive-date=January 13, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110113013749/http://blackkettleproductions.com/?p=14|url-status=dead}}</ref> Nardella then instigated the Boogie Brothers band with Sarah Brown, Nicholas and Christina. They backed a variety of blues musicians who toured locally, and were on the bill at the 1972 Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival, both as backing to Johnny Shines and Boogie Woogie Red, and in their own right.<ref name="AMG"/> Their work appeared on the Atlantic Records album, ''Ann Arbor Blues & Jazz Festival: 1972''.<ref name="Kettle"/><ref name="Atlantic">{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/ann-arbor-blues-jazz-festival-1972-atlantic-mw0001341291 |title=Ann Arbor Blues & Jazz Festival: 1972 [Atlantic&#93; - Various Artists |website=AllMusic |date= |accessdate=January 29, 2014}}</ref>

By the following year, the band name had changed its name to the Vipers and included the guitarist George Bedard. Their single, "Huron River Drive", was the first record to be released by Blind Pig Records.<ref name="Kettle"/> In 1974, Nardella backed Bobo Jenkins on his album ''Here I Am a Fool in Love Again''. Other session musicians used included Brown and Christina.<ref name="Bobo">{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=bobo-jenkins-p188318/biography|pure_url=yes}}|title=Bobo Jenkins |author=Reif, Fred |website=Allmusic |accessdate=November 16, 2010}}</ref>

Nardella and Bedard then formed the Silvertones, who toured across the United States and released the 1977 album, ''One Chance With You'', also on Blind Pig. In addition to his harmonica playing, Nardella introduced more of his own guitar work and singing to their output.<ref name="Kettle"/> With a change of personnel, in 1979 the renamed Steve Nardella Band issued ''It's All Rock & Roll''.<ref name="AMG"/> The Steve Nardella Band lasted from 1978 to 1984.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://blog.mlive.com/encorea2/2008/05/preview_steve_nardella_band_re.html |title=PREVIEW: Steve Nardella Band reunion at the Firefly Club |website=Blog.mlive.com |date=May 29, 2008 |accessdate=January 29, 2014}}</ref>

Nardella eventually became a solo artist and for years both toured and played backing to other musicians. His next album, ''Daddy Rollin' Stone'', did not appear until 1993.<ref name="AMG">{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=steve-nardella-p475/biography|pure_url=yes}}|title=Steve Nardella|author=Koda, Cub |website=Allmusic |accessdate=November 16, 2010}}</ref> The same year, Nardella's trio backed Eddie Burns on his Scandinavian tour. Nardella also led the touring backing band for Jack Scott.<ref name="Kettle"/>

In June 2008, Nardella, Bedard and their one time band pianist Mr. B (Mark Lincoln Braun), played a reunion concert in Ann Arbor's Firefly Club.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guitarvibe.com/2008/06/steve-nardella.html |title=Steve Nardella, George Bedard, Mr. B Reunion Gig |website=Guitar Vibe |date=June 9, 2008 |accessdate=January 29, 2014}}</ref> Nardella, with varying backing musicians, continues to perform live.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://arborweb.com/articles/steve_nardella_full_article.html |title=Steve Nardella|work=Ann Arbor Observer|author=Stephanie Kadel-Taras|date=February 2010 |accessdate=January 29, 2014}}</ref>

==Discography== *''It's All Rock & Roll'' (1979) - Blind Pig Records *''Daddy Rollin' Stone'' (1993) - Schoolkids Records<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/steve-nardella-mn0001201966/discography |title=Steve Nardella Discography |website=AllMusic|accessdate=January 29, 2014}}</ref>

==See also== *List of blues musicians *List of blues rock musicians *List of rockabilly musicians

==References== {{Reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Nardella, Steve}} Category:1948 births Category:Living people Category:American blues guitarists Category:American male guitarists Category:American blues singers Category:American male singers Category:Harmonica blues musicians Category:American blues harmonica players Category:American rockabilly musicians Category:American people of Italian descent Category:American blues rock musicians Category:Singers from Rhode Island Category:Songwriters from Rhode Island Category:Guitarists from Rhode Island Category:20th-century American guitarists Category:20th-century American male musicians Category:Blind Pig Records artists Category:American male songwriters