Video Premiere ‘How High’ by Steve Marriner Award-Winning Bluesman

Photo: Steve Marriner by Scott Doubt

We are pleased to premiere Steve Marriner’s video “How High” from his new album, Hope Dies Last, out July 2, 2021 on Stony Plain Records. A multi award-winning and esteemed artist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and record producer, Canadian bluesman Steve Marriner ushers in more of a roots-rock sound with his upcoming album and a hot rock and roller with this tune.

Marriner infuses “How High” with a tougher-than-leather head riff in 5/4 time, bold, bravado-fueled vocals, and the kind of presence that can’t be bought or taught. His tone is righteous and strong in front of this band. He lives on the harder side of the roots music spectrum with a sound and attitude that are both brave and audacious.

Award-winning lead guitarist for The Sheepdogs, Jimmy Bowskill, lends his six-string wizardry on the song. There are 15 other musicians who contributed to the creation of Hope Dies Last, guaranteed to lift roots music lovers’ spirits.

A versatile and highly skilled musician, songwriter and producer, Steve Marriner has won nine Maple Blues Awards as a harmonica player and vocalist on his own, and won another ten Maple Blues, two Canadian Indie Music Awards, two JUNO’s and one American Blues Music award with swamp rockers, MonkeyJunk. He has performed in studio and on stage extensively with some of Canada’s top blues and rock artists Colin James, Sass Jordan, and Matt Andersen, plus recording the 2018 album Hellbound For Heaven with Harry Manx under the moniker ‘Manx Marriner.’

Created through COVID and inspired by years on the road, the 10-track full length record Hope Dies Last features Marriner as a solo artist this time, after producing and playing on countless other artists’ albums. He used the downtime during the pandemic to engineer and mix his own record. His second solo release, Hope Dies Last follows Going Up, released in 2007.

Steve Marriner says, “The song was a co-write with a dear friend and musical accomplice, Chris Kirby. We’ve been friends for years but this was our first foray into songwriting together. It all came together in about an hour; a catchy riff, some racy lyrics, straight up rock ‘n’ roll.”

Watch “How High”

Considered a blues harp prodigy, Marriner’s formidable talents extend to keyboards, bass, guitar and vocals. He’s exploring territory closer to Americana than he has before.

“For the video we went to one of my haunts in Toronto, The Cameron House. It’s been a hub of the Toronto music scene for decades and we’ve all played some sweaty rock ‘n’ roll shows in there,” Marriner adds. “Even though there was no audience, it was great to get with the fellas and get back on that stage.”

Pre-save/order link for Hope Dies Last