Steve Bonafel & One Iota

ON SALE NOW - ''THE BALLAD OF ROSEANNA MC COY''DOWNLOADS ON AMAZONE.COM and CDBABY.COM
It's Done! The ''Anthem of A Family Tree'' and with the much asked for ''LAST PARADE''..It's an all One Iota project with a bunch of new songs and some live cuts from the stage. I'm real proud of the musicianship displayed by the members of One Iota on this cd.It's already playing on a bunch of radio stations abd is available at CDBABY.COM and downloads also avaiable at DIGSTATION.COM

Steve Bonafel - STEVE BONAFEL & ONE IOTA

''Big River Dreams'' is climbing the European top 100 chart at #22 in the Netherlands and #35 in Denmark. Thanks Europe.It's also #36 in Israel on Oct.24,09.
The ''OLD STICK'' was at #7 in the Czeck Republic this summer according to the European Country Music Association on the county music chart in June 2008.
The Old Stick is a Steve Bonafel Original tune from the cd Feuds & Fridays 2006..
- 12 city Tour in Ireland 2010, and Charting on Europe's top 40 radio

STEVE BONAFEL –
Feuds & Fridays!
One Iota Publishing, No Number
EMAIL sbonafel@hotmail.com
stevebonafel.com OR cdbaby.com OR radiosubmit.com
TEL. 859-468-3773
Playing Time – 41:28
"Feuds & Fridays!" features ten contemporary bluegrass originals and two covers presented by Steve Bonafel, a vocalist from northern Kentucky who I first heard with his band, One Iota, a few years ago. The band showcased at the 2006 IBMA Trade Show & Convention. The band's upbeat and comforting 2002 CD is called "Never Grow Old." In 2004, Bonafel released a debut solo album of originals called "Dream Catcher."
On this latest project, Steve wrote all of the songs except "Big Spike Hammer" and "Think it Over." Bonafel's got some charming material, and he has a pleasant tenor that imparts plenty of feeling and sentiment to his stories and messages about life's adventures, journeys and characters. With "all the Kentucky news that's fit to print," the album's stories are like an 1888 newspaper put to music. Singing with the emotion of an imprisoned Kentucky moonshiner's perspective, "Shiner's Lament" expresses "I wish I was home, and I never saw that still!" after a young man is murdered. The song is a true story about Steve's great uncle. Written after performing for the death row inmates at Eddyville, Ky. maximum security prison in 2004, "The Ballad of Roseanna McCoy" is also a true story that describes one key episode in the long - running feud between the Hatfields and McCoys in Big Sandy River Valley. The vocal harmonies of Melissa Conway, Paul Brewster, and Carly Pearce embellish the choruses that are sung as duets. The swingy and melodic "Wish You'd Go Away" is arranged simply with solo vocals in a crystalline statement about moving on. "The Old Stick" is given similar treatment with character, content and concision.
Bonafel's lyrics make clear statements, but his music carries creative messages of its own. Good rhythms and pretty melodies make his songs really work. Their stellar interpretation is also the result of having an instrumental cast consisting of Andy Leftwich (mandolin, fiddle), Rob Ickes (Dobro), Cody Kilby (guitar) and Dave Pomeroy and Berry Bales (bass). Bales played the slow songs, and Pomeroy is the bassist on the fast songs. Producer Andy Leftwich was eager to enlist members of "Three Ring Circle" (a "jamgrass acoustic power trio" with Ickes, Leftwich, Pomeroy) to assist. "Never Saw Sara Alone" is about a boy's regret at losing a popular girl. Steve likes writing in ¾ - time, and "Big River Dream" has a sweet aesthetic.
Another of Bonafel's pieces in ¾ time, "Working Man's Prayer" is a witty call for justice, focus, wealth and happiness in life. You're sure to grin when his call to the Lord includes the suggestion of "when the fires of Hell are stoked good and hot, would you give ol' Bin Ladan a call?" Bonafel shows that he has a knack for communicating heart to heart, soul to soul, and without any filters that limit his expression. I'm sure that his own talented band (One Iota) covers them well in live performance also as part of their goal to present refreshing and innovative material that is both fun and reflective. (Joe Ross)
- Bluegrass Now

IBMA picks Steve Bonafel & One Iota to showcase on the main stage Sept. 26 , 2006 8 pm in Nashville , Tn. at the IBMA annual convention n downtown Nashville. Thirteen bands choosen from around the world from over 200 bands that applied. Thousands attend including disk jockies from around the world and CMT TV .
The IBMA award show was hosted by Marty Stewart at the Grand Ole Opry.
2007 Steve was selected for the IBMA songwriters showcase and in 2008 an alternate. - IBMA

Bluegrass Unlimited'' April 07 .. cd reviews on ;;Feuds & Fridays''

Steve Bonafel is a bluegrass singer/songwriter from northern Kentucky whose new album is full of original songs based on the history of the region.Bonafel should be considered a journyman singer who nonetheless, has a strong enough voice to bring his fine original songs to life. And that is where he excels ,as good and consistant songwriters are hard to find and are always a welcome addition to the bluegrass family.
For Bonafel's previouse album he tapped a young Andy Leftwich of Ricky Skaggs Kentucky thunder fame for his fiddle skills. This time Andy is back as producer on ''Feuds & Fridays'' only this time he's brought some friends with him. As this album was being recorded ,Leftwich was in the middle of working with his side group,Three Ring Circle, featuring Rob Ickes and Dave Pomeroy. the band on all of these cuts features Ickes and Pomeroy on resonator guitar and bass respectively. Leftwich on mandolin and fiddle, Cody Kilby on guitar, Barry Blales on bass, and Paul Brewster ,Carly Pearce, and Melissa Conway on harmony vocals.
One would think that Bonafel's music would be overwelmed by this collection of stars but Leftwich doesn't let that happen. The musicians seem to be aware that Bonafel's story songs are the strong suit of this project. There are some worthy tunes on here including the wonderful original about the Hatfield-McCoy feud
[The Ballad of Roseanna McCoy ]
and ''The Old Stick'' a great song about an old man exploring the woods he grew up in , finding memories around everyturn. For those looking for new and original songs. Steve bonafel's catalog is one to keep in mind. [One Iota Publishing, 1883 Poplar Ridge Rd. Melbourne, Ky. 41059
www.SteveBonafel.com - April 2007 review of 'Feuds & Fridays''

WWB is the largest internet radio programm dedicated to bluegrass 24/7. Featuring djs from around the world playing bluegrass from the great bands of yesterday to the brand new gems just uncovered. They also feature interviews and articles, news and of course a ton of music streaming nostop. - World Wide Bluegrass

As of May 19,2007 'Feuds & Fridays'' has made the national chart at number 21 and ''Dream Catcher '' has made the chart at number 23.
The chart goes from#1 to #50 of most played bluegrass songs of 306 radio stations reporting from around the world.
Roots music reports on all types of music . For more information go to www.rootsmusicreport.com - Roots Music Reports

Steve Bonafel has written every song on his Dream Catcher cd. With excellent voice and instrumentation. This cd is highly rated by DJs. From adventure ballads to reflective songs of time and love gone by. His style ranges from traditional bluegrass like Jimmy Martin to almost James Taylor like on some tunes. On ''Dream Catcher'' there is a song for every taste.

Gracie Muldoon
IBMA- Steve Bonafel was selected as one of the ten songwriters invited to showcase original songs at the 2007 confrence in Nashville where he performed the''Ballad of Roseanna McCoy'' and the ''Last Parade'' and was slected as an alternate in 2008. - IBMA

A gifted songwriter, Steve Bonafel wrote 10 0f the 12 cuts on ''Feuds & Fridays''! He's backed by his band One Iota, along with several guest. An interesting side note is that Steve and his band were picked to showcase at the IBMA in Nashville in 2006. Which is quite a feat with over 200 bands applying and only 19 picked to perform.
Steve say's in the liner notes that the music is a tribute to the ''drama and charactors of our past here in Kentucky''. The Album title, taken in part from the cut ''the Ballad of Roseanna McCoy'', tells a little of the story of the infamous Hatfield-McCoy feud.
The album showcases some of the great harmony vocals as heard on the song ''Shiners Lament', a story about moonshiners that speaks to everyone who has srtuggled with bad choices in his or her life.Another original cut ''Loves Ghost'' is a pretty song done in waltz time that adds new meaning to the term ''haunting vocals''. Another song on the cd I enjoyed is a grassed up rendition of the rock favorite from the Buddy Holley past called ''Think It Over'' that Steve does in kind of a bluesy style. The only dissapointment is that most of the lyrics to these original songs were not included to assist anyone trying to understand the words.
Backed by excellent musicians and exceptional harmony vocalist, most any traditional bluegrass fan will enjoy this fine CD. JP - FEUDS & FRIDAY CD REVIEW

Thanks Czech Republic for making the ''Ballad of Roseanna McCoy'' #6 on the radio !!!!!!!
The song was also at #36 in Belgium Nov.11,2007 - ECMA radio chart

Thanks Czech Republic for making the ''Ballad of Roseanna McCoy'' #6 on the radio !!!!!!!
The song was also at #36 in Belgium Nov.11,2007 - ECMA radio chart

Joe Mullins joined the Country Music Disc Jockey Hall of Fame's 2008 inductee, Bill Cody, for conversation and music when he droped by the WSM 650AM studio on Friday, May 16th at 8:30am CT.

Joe was promoting "The Last Parade," a brand new single from Rebel Records CD from Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers. Written by Steve Bonafel, "The Last Parade" is in honor of Sgt. Nickolas Carnes of Dayton, KY who was killed in Afghanistan in 2007. The song made it to #3 in the USA on Bluegrass Todays Radio chart on the 3rd week of June 2014 and was featured at the Grand Ole Opry this 4th of July. - Bill Cody WSM radio