Steve Seskin

Last updated

Steve Seskin
Born (1952-03-31) March 31, 1952 (age 72)
Origin The Bronx, New York City
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, musician
Years active1971 –present
Labels Sony Records
Website steveseskin.com

Steve Seskin is an American singer, songwriter, and musician whose songs have been recorded by recording artists Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Waylon Jennings, Tim McGraw, Collin Raye, and Mark Wills among others. The debut single from McGraw's Set This Circus Down, "Grown Men Don't Cry", was nominated for a 2002 Grammy award and also garnered the No. 1 position on the Billboard Country Single Chart in June 2001. [1] Seskin also is known for performing at schools in support of the Operation Respect/Don't Laugh at Me project, [2] [3] named after "Don't Laugh at Me," a song he wrote with Allen Shamblin that was recorded by Mark Wills [4] and Peter, Paul and Mary, among others.

Contents

Seskin splits his time between touring, Nashville and Northern California.

Early life

Steve Seskin was born (March 31, 1952) in The Bronx, New York to parents Zelda (née Wein) and Irving Seskin. Seskin began playing guitar at 14 years old and started writing songs shortly after. He moved to San Francisco in 1971 and began his music career as a street performer progressing to festivals and clubs.

After opening a concert for Crystal Gayle, she suggested that Seskin should go to Nashville to pursue songwriting, which he did. [5] During his first visit there in 1985, Seskin began with only one appointment with an ASCAP executive who subsequently arranged Seskin's appointments with several publishers.

Music career

Selected discography

ArtistSong TitleCreditYear
Reba McEntire Cactus in a Coffee CanComposer2019
Crystal Bowersox AliveComposer2017
Seth Glier Like I DoComposer2017
Marie Osmond Music is MedicineComposer2016
Seth Glier ElectricityComposer2015
Tom Beck (actor) Go My WayComposer2012
Trent JeffcoatHero to SomeoneComposer2010
Tracy Lawrence I'm DoneComposer2009
Kathy Mattea Right Out of NowhereComposer2005
Peter, Paul and Mary Don't Laugh at MeComposer2005
Eidolon Live to DanceComposer2004
Brian McComas I'll Always Be There For YouComposer2003
John Michael Montgomery PicturesComposer2002
J. Michael Harter Hard Call to MakeComposer2002
Georgia Middleman No Place Like HomeComposer2001
Jerry Jeff Walker Every Drop of WaterComposer2001
Tim McGraw Grown Men Don't CryComposer2001
Johnsmith God Knows WhyComposer2000
Penny Framstad People with My Last NameComposer2000
Toby Keith New Orleanscomposer2000
Jerry Kilgore Cactus in a Coffee CanComposer1999
The Oak Ridge Boys New OrleansComposer1999
Olivia Newton-John AttentionComposer1998
Maria SangioloSomething RealComposer1998
The Wilkinsons Then There's YouComposer1998
Mark Wills Don't Laugh at MeComposer1998
Jeff Wood Use MineComposer1997
Sid SpencerIf You've Got LoveComposer1996
Paul Jefferson I'm HereComposer1996
Ricochet (band) Daddy's Moneycomposer1996
Wilcox and PardoeI Think About Youcomposer1995
Kenny Chesney All I Need to KnowComposer1995
Dennis WarnerSkippin' StonesComposer1995
Woody Lee I Like the Sound of ThatComposer1995
Collin Raye I Think About YouComposer1995
John Michael Montgomery No Man's LandComposer1995
Ricky Skaggs Every Drop of WaterComposer1995
Neal McCoy For a ChangeComposer1995
John Michael Montgomery If You've Got LoveComposer1994
Neal McCoy No Doubt About ItComposer1994
Tim McGraw Welcome to the ClubComposer1993
Pam Tillis We've Tried Everything ElseComposer1992
John Michael Montgomery Life's a DanceComposer1992
Darryl & Don Ellis It's Bigger Than the Both of UsComposer1992
Neal McCoy Where Do Daddies Go?composer1992
Karen Tobin Wedding BedComposer1991
Dr. Elmo Wedding BedComposer1991
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band You Made Life Good AgainComposer1991
Delbert McClinton That's the Way I FeelComposer1990
Waylon Jennings WrongComposer1990
The Marcy Brothers You're Not Even CryingComposer1989
Moe Bandy A Long Way From LonelyComposer1989
Alabama She CanComposer1989

Grown Men Don't Cry

"Grown Men Don't Cry", written by Tom Douglas and Steve Seskin was recorded by American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released in April 2001 as the first single from McGraw's 2001 album Set This Circus Down . The song reached number one on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) chart and peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100

"Grown Men Don't Cry" debuted at number 30 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the chart week of March 24, 2001.

Chart (2001)Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [6] 1
US Billboard Hot 100 [7] 25

Don't Laugh at Me

"Don't Laugh at Me", written by Allen Shamblin and Steve Seskin, was recorded by American country music artist Mark Wills. It was released in July 1998 as the second single from album Wish You Were Here . "Don't Laugh at Me" was a number 2 hit on the Billboard country charts. The song received Country Music Association nominations for Country Music Association's Single, Song and Video of the Year in 1998.

"Don't Laugh at Me" debuted at number 69 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of July 18, 1998. The song peaked at number 2 on the Hot Country Songs chart on October 10, 1998.

Chart (1998)Peak
position
Canada Country Tracks ( RPM ) [8] 2
US Billboard Hot 100 [9] 73
US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [10] 2

Books

Teaching

Seskin teaches songwriting workshops throughout the U.S. as well as teaching songwriting courses at San Francisco State University, The Kerrville Folk Festival Songwriting School and The Rocky Mountain Folk Festival. He has played an active role as a songwriting teacher and mentor at West Coast Songwriters Association since 1988 and Nashville Songwriters Association International since 1995. [15] [16] [17]

Operation Respect Don't Laugh at Me

Seskin is the co-writer of “Don’t Laugh At Me”, the song that was the impetus for the Operation Respect program and organization, co-founded by Peter Yarrow. [18]

Operation Respect, a non-profit education and advocacy organization dedicated to advancing the social and emotional growth of children and youth, was founded in 1999 by Peter Yarrow of the folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary, and Dr. Charlotte Frank. Operation Respect was first inspired by a moment between father and daughter (Bethany Yarrow), a singer and activist who told her dad that he had to hear a song called Don’t Laugh at Me. She believed that it was exactly the kind of movement creating music Peter, Paul and Mary stood for. Written by Steve Seskin, now an Operation Respect Board Member, and Allen Shamblin, the lyrics of Don’t Laugh at Me is Operation Respect's theme song and classroom-based curricula. Since its inception, their speakers and performers have addressed over 500,000 educators, educational leaders, parents, students, policy makers and community members throughout the world.

Kids Write Songs

Seskin is the founder of Kids Write Songs, a songwriting workshop teaching creative expression to children of all ages as well as teaching them to create their own songs that address issues that affect bullying, respect, peer pressure, diversity, and self-esteem. Workshops consist of 3 to 4 sessions with about 30 students each session. [19]

The Parkland Project – Wake Up America

The Parkland Project, a youth-inspired songwriting initiative, released original songs at the National Association for Music Education National Conference. The tracks tell of the surviving students’ deep trauma from the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Valentine's Day, Feb 14, 2018 and reflect a commitment to the student-led movements dedicated to stopping the killing of their classmates and peers, and the passing of gun laws to do so.

Written and composed by the students of Parkland, Florida, with the guidance of noted songwriters such as Steve Seskin and Peter Yarrow and music producers affiliated with Operation Respect, the album, Wake Up, America, its title track, followed by compositions, Song for the Silenced, Transparent, Valentine’s Day, Change the Ref, We Got the Power, Armor Off, Watering Can Full of Tears, The Children Will Lead the Way, and We Need was released. Proceeds from the songs benefit Shine MSD and Change the Ref, Parkland-based organizations providing art-based trauma informed therapy and advocates of gun-violence prevention. [20] [21]

Sources

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Prine</span> American singer-songwriter (1946–2020)

John Edward Prine was an American singer-songwriter of country-folk music. Widely cited as one of the most influential songwriters of his generation, Prine was known for his signature blend of humorous lyrics about love, life, and current events, often with elements of social commentary and satire, as well as sweet songs and melancholy ballads. He was active as a composer, recording artist, live performer, and occasional actor from the early 1970s until his death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Anderson (singer)</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1937)

James William Anderson III, known professionally as Bill Anderson, is an American country music singer, songwriter, and television host. His soft-spoken singing voice was given the nickname "Whispering Bill" by music critics and writers. As a songwriter, his compositions have been covered by various music artists since the late 1950s, including Ray Price and George Strait.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Wills</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1973)

Mark Wills is an American country music artist. Signed to Mercury Records between 1996 and 2003, he released five studio albums for the label – Mark Wills, Wish You Were Here, Permanently, Loving Every Minute, and And the Crowd Goes Wild – as well as a greatest hits package. In that same timespan, he charted sixteen singles on the Billboard country charts, all of which made the top 40. After leaving Mercury in 2003, he signed to Equity Music Group and charted three more singles. Two of these were later included on his sixth studio album, Familiar Stranger, which was released on the Tenacity label in 2008.

Christopher Marsh Lindsey is a Grammy nominated American country music songwriter and record producer. He has created major hits for Taylor Swift, The Civil Wars, Adam Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, Kellie Pickler, Keith Urban, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Sara Evans, Lonestar, and many others. Lindsey has over 250 commercial recordings of his songs selling 90 Million records and counting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lori McKenna</span> American musician

Lorraine McKenna is an American folk, Americana, and country music singer-songwriter. In 2016, she was nominated for the Grammy Award for Song of the Year and won Best Country Song for co-writing the hit single "Girl Crush" performed by Little Big Town. In 2017, she again won Best Country Song at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards for writing "Humble and Kind" performed by Tim McGraw. McKenna along with Lady Gaga, Natalie Hemby and Hillary Lindsey wrote the second single off the soundtrack to the 2018 film A Star Is Born called "Always Remember Us This Way.” McKenna performed backing vocals along with Lindsey and Hemby, and the song received a nomination for Song of the Year at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeffrey Steele</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1961)

Jeffrey LeVasseur, known as Jeffrey Steele, is an American country music singer and songwriter. Along with recording his own material, Steele has become a prolific Nashville songwriter, having co-written more than 60 hit songs for such artists as Montgomery Gentry, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, LeAnn Rimes, Rascal Flatts, Billy Ray Cyrus, and others.

<i>Set This Circus Down</i> 2001 studio album by Tim McGraw

Set This Circus Down is the sixth studio album by American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released on April 24, 2001 by Curb Records. The album produced four singles, all of which reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josh Kear</span> Musical artist

Josh Kear is a multi-Grammy Award winning songwriter based in Nashville, Tennessee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Bettis</span> American lyricist (born 1946)

John Gregory Bettis is an American lyricist, best known for his long-term songwriting partnership with Richard Carpenter of The Carpenters. He wrote the lyrics for "Top of the World", a hit for both Lynn Anderson and The Carpenters. He wrote several more hits for The Carpenters, including "Only Yesterday", "Goodbye to Love" and "Yesterday Once More". He later wrote hits for other artists including Madonna, Michael Jackson, The Pointer Sisters, Conway Twitty, Diana Ross, Jennifer Warnes, Peabo Bryson, George Strait ("Heartland"), Juice Newton, Ronnie Milsap, Barbara Mandrell, 38 Special, New Kids on the Block, Donna Summer, Barbra Streisand, Whitney Houston

Frank Mandeville Rogers V is an American record producer, songwriter, music publisher and session musician. In 1990, Rogers moved to Nashville, attending Belmont University and graduating with a Music Business degree. While at Belmont, he met friend and future collaborator Brad Paisley. After graduation, Rogers went to work for EMI Nashville Productions and opened up Sea Gayle Music Publishing with Paisley and Chris DuBois. The successful publishing company, has over 300 cuts and 28 number one songs. The three business partners, in late 2009, also teamed up with Sony Nashville to form Sea Gayle Records, with a roster that includes Jerrod Niemann.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Yarrow</span> American singer and songwriter

Peter Yarrow is an American singer and songwriter who found fame as a member of the 1960s folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary. Yarrow co-wrote one of the group's best known hits, "Puff, the Magic Dragon". He is also a political activist and has supported causes that range from opposition to the Vietnam War to school anti-bullying programs. Yarrow was convicted in 1970 of molesting a 14-year-old girl, for which he was pardoned in 1981 by President Jimmy Carter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Montana</span> American country music singer-songwriter (born 1959)

Billy Montana is an American country music singer-songwriter. Between 1987 and 1995, Montana released one studio album and charted six singles on Billboard's Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. As a songwriter, Montana's songs have been recorded by Lee Brice, Garth Brooks, Sara Evans, Jo Dee Messina, Tim McGraw, Martina McBride, Jon Pardi, Sister Hazel and Kenny Rogers, among others.

"Don't Laugh at Me" is a song written by Allen Shamblin and Steve Seskin, and recorded by American country music artist Mark Wills. It was released in July 1998 as the second single from album Wish You Were Here. Like "I Do " before it, "Don't Laugh at Me" was a number 2 hit on the Billboard country charts. The song received Country Music Association nominations for Country Music Association's Single, Song and Video of the Year in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grown Men Don't Cry</span> 2001 single by Tim McGraw

"Grown Men Don't Cry" is a song written by Tom Douglas and Steve Seskin and recorded by American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released in March 2001 as the first single from McGraw's 2001 album Set This Circus Down. The song reached number one on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Allen Shamblin is a country music songwriter who was born in Tennessee, and was brought up in Huffman, Texas.

Thomas Stevenson Douglas is an American country music songwriter. He has written Top 10 Billboard Country hits for John Michael Montgomery, Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Collin Raye, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Kenny Chesney and others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Janson</span> American singer-songwriter

Christopher Pierre Janson is an American country music singer and songwriter. Janson has recorded three full-length albums, Buy Me a Boat, Everybody, and Real Friends, through Warner Records Nashville, along with one extended play each for Bigger Picture Music Group, Columbia Records, and Warner Nashville. He has charted multiple singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts, including "Good Vibes" and "Done", both of which went to number one on the latter. In addition to his material, Janson has performed on albums by Holly Williams and Lee Brice and has co-written singles for Tim McGraw, LoCash, Randy Houser and Hank Williams Jr.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">D. Vincent Williams</span> American country music singer-songwriter (born 1969)

David Vincent Williams is an American country music singer-songwriter. His songs have been recorded and released by major country recording artists, including "I’m Movin‘ On" by Rascal Flatts, Ty Herndon’s "Hands of a Working Man" and James Otto’s "Just Got Started Lovin' You." Williams is a BMI songwriter who has written over 550 songs.

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in 2013.

Jon Nite is an American singer/songwriter. He is Grammy-nominated, and has won CMA and ACM awards. He has written over 30 Billboard Airplay hits including 18 No.1's with billions of streams in multiple genres.

References

  1. ↑ Billboard Country Song Chart for 16, June 2005]
  2. ↑ "Broadway World interviews Steve Seskin and Seth Glier at Kerville Folk Festival". Broadway World – By Kathy Strain. June 3, 2015. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
  3. ↑ "Creating Compassionate, Safe, Respectful Environments - Operation Respect". Archived from the original on July 5, 2013. Retrieved August 15, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Singer-songwriter Steve Seskin's recipe for compassion". Radiance Magazine – By Toby Bielawski. 1999. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Nashville Comes to Pacifica With Songs in the Round". Pacifica Tribune Mercury News – By Toby Bielawski. January 8, 2013. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Tim McGraw Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  7. ↑ "Tim McGraw Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  8. ↑ "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 7026." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. October 26, 1998. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Mark Wills Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  10. ↑ "Mark Wills Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  11. ↑ "Sing My Song - A Kid's Guide to Songwriting". Amazon.
  12. ↑ Seskin, Steve; Shamblin, Allen (2006). A Chance to Shine. Tricycle Press. ISBN   1582461678.
  13. ↑ "Don't Laugh at Me Book & CD". Publishers Weekly -.
  14. ↑ Songwriting and the Guitar. Hal Leonard Corporation. 2000. ISBN   9781890490287.
  15. ↑ "Kerrville Folk Festival Songwriting School - Steve Seskin". –.
  16. ↑ "Country Music Hall of Fame - Songwriter Session - Steve Seskin". –.
  17. ↑ "Bluebird Café Nashville - Writers Night with Special Guest Steve Seskin – Hosted By Steve Goodie". –.
  18. ↑ "Steve Seskin". Operation Respect -.
  19. ↑ "Songwriter Steve Seskin Inspires Students to Write Songs About Respect - Park Record - By Scott Iwasaki". September 12, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
  20. ↑ "PARKLAND STUDENTS RELEASE WAKE UP, AMERICA - Operation Respect". WRCB TV – By. November 11, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
  21. ↑ "The Parkland Project Wake Up America - Operation Respect". PR Distribution– By. November 11, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.