Born on This Day in 1951, the 13-Time Keyboardist of the Year and Session Musician Behind Songs From Hank Williams Jr. and Joan Baez

Few session musicians out there can say they’ve been heard on records across just about every major genre out there, from folk to rock to country to jazz. Even fewer have the distinction of being named the Keyboardist of the Year by any publication for 13 consecutive years. Steve Nathan can, though, and his reputation as one of Nashville and Muscle Shoals’ most distinguished keyboardists precedes him. 

Videos by American Songwriter

Nathan was born on this very day, April 20, 1951, and is celebrating his 75th birthday. Let’s take a look back at this iconic keyboardist and session musician’s enormous body of work to honor him, shall we?

Steve Nathan Is Probably Your Favorite Keyboardist’s Favorite Keyboardist

Steven Jay Nathan was born on April 20, 1951, in Buffalo, New York. Raised in New York, Nathan moved to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, in the mid-1970s, where his music career would take off. Muscle Shoals is known as the home of one of the most famous sound studios in country, rock, and pop music outside of Nashville.

Nathan toured with the likes of LeBlanc and Carr. Later, he helped to record soft rock musician Lenny LeBlanc’s debut solo record, Hound Dog Man, in 1976. That would be the beginning of Nathan’s infamous career as one of America’s most influential and consistent session keyboard players. Nathan would spend the next decade and a half performing on records. Specifically, we worked on albums produced by Rick Hall via FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals. Nathan was a frequent collaborator with drummer Roger Hawkins and David Hood.

There are so many incredible albums from that period through 1991 that Nathan has played on. Just a few include I’ve Got Something To Say from David Allan Coe (1980), Strong Stuff from Hank Williams, Jr. (1983), and Guitar Town by Steve Earle (1986).

A Career That Just Wouldn’t Quit

In 1991, Nathan relocated to Nashville. There, he would be considered part of the “A-Team” of session musicians, the cream of the crop to be chosen for session work. During that era, he performed on what appears to be several hundred albums. A few noteworthy records include I Still Believe In You by Vince Gill (1992), Wynonna by Wynonna Judd (1992), Lead On by George Strait (1994), and countless others.

Steve Nathan’s career would last from the 1970s through the 2010s. Today, Nathan is more or less retired. His last work can be found on Charley Pride’s Music In My Heart via Music City, out in 2017. What an incredible and inspiring career!

Photo by Future Publishing via Getty Images