RAHWAY, NJ — Americana/folk artist Steven Keene will be performing at Hamilton Stage at Union County Performing Arts Center on Thursday, Sept. 12.
Keene recently gained notoriety and critical praise for his hit song, “This World is Your World,” which can be heard on all streaming platforms.
The idea came to Keene in a dream and the song focuses on what’s going on in the world. “The United States, and the world, needs a change,” said Keene, who is of the same mindset of Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie – the folk protest.
It’s an exciting time for Keene. whose new album will be coming out early 2025 with 12 songs – nine originals and covers of songs by Tom Waits and Bruce Springsteen. He’ll be playing the new songs at the Hamilton Stage show.
Obsessed with music at an early age, Keene was a huge fan of Dylan and Guthrie. He doesn’t read or write music, but learned their songs by ear. He collected their live recordings, which were on bootleg vinyl records. “I realized I could pick up songs,” he said. “It’s part of your DNA profile. Your ear can tell the note. Just from banging around on the piano, sometimes that’s the best.”
Keene grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y., and went into Greenwich Village to listen to performers. He started playing open mics and coffee houses, and later at clubs. “Similar to Bob,” he said, referring to Dylan’s career.
While playing in Washington Square Park back in the day, Keene befriended Beck (David Campbell). “He started just like me, with a guitar and harmonica,” he said. “We gravitated towards the same clubs and musicians. Beck came in ’92, then he went back to LA and recorded ‘Loser.’ He’s a great writer.”
Keene played regularly at places like Sun Mountain Café and The Chameleon, and well-known clubs like The Bottom Line, Lone Star Café, The Mercury Lounge, The Bitter End, Arlene’s Grocery and CBGB’s.
In 1990, Keene released his first album. “Keene on Dylan,” with Bob Dylan band members Howie Wyeth and Rob Stoner. His second album, “No Alternative,” featured Bob Dylan band members Tony Garnier, John “J.J.” Jackson and William “Bucky” Baxter. It also included a collaboration with Danny Kalb on the track “Only Homeless.” BMG distributed the album in Europe. A video for the single “Far Better Friend than Lover” appeared on MTV Europe. In 2001, Keene released the album “Set Clock,” on Moo Records. He appeared on Vin Scelsa’s “Idiot’s Delight” radio show and toured to promote the album.
In 2003, his protest song, “How Much Blood’s in a Barrel?” received extensive airplay in the United States and was picked up and released by ZYX Music in Europe.
After a long hiatus, Keene reemerged with new works that deeply resonate with contemporary issues. His recent albums, “Them and Us” and “Woke,” are collections of songs speaking for current times.
He said, “The most important thing for me is to make a statement on discrimination, trying to get people to realize we are the same. Don’t let the divisions of political beliefs separate. That’s the core of what Woody and Dylan stand for. Few people do it. Springsteen does it a little. Phil Ochs did it a lot. Bring people together and not have separation. We all have to be united. I don’t know how we’ll get there. One day, people will wake up and realize we have to unite and not have this craziness.”
To learn more about Steven Keene, visit https://stevenkeene.com/.
To purchase tickets for Steven Keene’s performance at Hamilton Stage, visit https://ucpac.org/events/.
Photo Courtesy of Photo Impressions