From
the age of seven in the gold mining town of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia
and ever since Garry Steel and his elder brother Kirk have been in great
demand as keyboard, organ and piano and accordion players for some of
Australia’s best known performers and recording artists. Aussie Rock
legend Jimmy Barnes, invited Garry to play on his album Flesh and Wood and
he recorded and toured internationally with John Williamson for 4 years. He
has also recorded with Broderick Smith’s band and the Adelaide Symphony
Orchestra on Pixie Jenkin’s True Blue Classics.
Garry
established many fans and musical relationships through his 4 year stint
(1994 –1998) at the legendary Kings Cross Bourbon and Bar Beefsteak with
Rodney Ford and John Cocker. Willy Qua, of one of Australia’s most
contemporary groups Galapagos Duck, was so impressed by Garry’s musicality
he formed a new band Quill’s Folly, debuting at Australia’s Premier Ski
Resort, Mount Kosciusko Chalet where they have been sliding downhill ever
since.
Garry
is admired by musicians and audiences alike for his natural ability in so
many different styles of music. Playing accordion in Irish Band Settlers
Match, while supporting the Furies on an Australian tour, George Fury
commented “Where’d you be learning to play the box like dat? You play
like a true Irishman!’ Soon after Garry was asked to tour the US with one
of the best known Irish-American entertainers Paddy Noonan.
Garry
is not one of the most sought after country piano players in the country. He
has performed with Lee Kernaghan, Slim Dusty, Pixie Jenkins and Graeme
Connors, but not anymore. He is still however a member of the Fiddlers
Festival, an instrumental ensemble featuring the finest Australian Fiddlers.
With
his marriage to another prominent singer and accordionist (Pam Drysdale) and
the birth of their two daughters (guess what they’re going to be when they
grow up!) Garry has turned his attention to renovating their house in
Berowra Heights using recycled materials, mainly from skips from building
sites etc. Recent fires which roared through the area, past Garry and
Pam’s house were no threat to their property as Garry (who is also a
qualified diesel mechanic and mad inventor) created a unique water spraying
system to protect the eaves and windows from flames and heat.