Listen up.
Rick Hays & American Steel has been a country music dance band, based out of Reno, Nevada since 1994.
The band has released 2 full albums, "Who's Your Cowboy Now?" and "Nevadatude" respectively, as well as a 3 song EP "Forward". The band is currently writing for their next full Album, "Cottonwoods & Cattails". Hays does a majority of the writing, but is equally blessed with what he calls his favorite writer Felipe Vigil, providing his talent to the band. The rest of the members also write their own parts to each song, which makes for a full-team effort and collaboration, especially when the likes of Engineers and Producers such as Ted Nelson on the first two full albums, and Todd Rold on the 3 song EP are added. In-short, everyone in the band has their piece of the action.
However, what makes their music so unique is that it is local, personal, and honest. One does not have to listen long, before the lyrics and melody take hold of the ears, and emotions of the listener, pulling on their heartstrings with "Autumn Leaves" from the Album Nevadatude, or the Laughter of the Tounge-in-Cheek title track on "Who's Your Cowboy Now?" Hays began his writing and music in 1999, with co-writers and former fellow musician John Moss, on their debut single "The Outlaw" and a few other tunes such as "Loser Boozer", "Come To Me", and "Black Widow Soul" the band's first full album. Hays also enjoyed the co-writing talents of Marty Easter on "Little Cards & Letters". The band's second album brought the writing and performing talents of Felipe Vigil on "Man of the Hours", "Autumn Leaves" and "Mending Loose Ends".
Musically, the band has had guest artist appear, on the first album with Lacy J. Dalton and Hays performing a duet on "You Can't Love Me...Like You Used To" co-written by Alice Martinez and Hays. The second album brought the musical talents of Randy "Skippy" Sloan on Fiddle, Lolli Jones on Fiddle, and Guitarist Craig Harrison on "Big Pick", as well as Hays' Brother "Wes Hanson" laughing and commenting at the end of "Big Pick".
On the 3 song EP "Forward" Hays will tell you that he was moving in a positive direction, and the project was released as intended. However, shortly after the release of that album, Hays' military career would take him away to Washington D.C. to work at Joint Base Andrews, Ft. George G. Meade, and finally the Pentagon. Now, he has retired from the military and returned home to Reno, Nevada to share his, and his bandmates' love of music with Nevadans. "The past creations have been very fun and exciting" as Hays states about their accomplishments, and their next album "Cottonwoods & Cattails" will be another beautiful chapter of life again, here in Nevada...as he states "I'm Home".
Watch this page, for early releases of "Cottonwoods & Cattails" as the band progresses through the new album forthcoming.
