Black Steel duo was formed in early 2011 although both Bob Schwarz and Jim Martin were already familiar faces to many Country fans.
Jim Martin first started playing electric guitar in 1968 when he was 16. In those days, he was a rock and blues musician quickly joining his first band Premonition who were a 5-piece.
The line-up was Billy Archer (vocals), Jim Martin (lead guitar), Les Whitehead (rhythm guitar), Brian Slow (bass) and Neil Hardy (drums). Within a year, they were playing at London’s prestigious Marquee Club in Oxford Street supporting bands like Slade and Barclay James Harvest.
With the demise of Premonition c1971/2, Jim’s next band was a 5-piece pop/rock band called Sting. They comprised Graham Khan (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Jasper Scott (keyboard and vocals), John Cooper (lead guitar), Jim Martin (bass) and Frog Goddard (drums). The band lasted until 1979 when some band members wanted a change of direction from rock to Country. John, Frog and Jim formed Stampede and brought in Tony Draper on vocals and rhythm guitar. In 1980 Stampede got a record deal with SRT Productions. Jim decided to learn pedal steel guitar for an album. By the time the album was released a few months later he was sufficiently proficient to play on three of the tracks. Various line up changes followed, Robbie Bearns replaced John Cooper on lead guitar and Jim went fully onto pedal steel guitar with Alan Newstead coming in on bass.
With the demise of Stampede in the mid-1980s, Jim joined Tracy Elsdon’s band Ashanti bringing with him Robbie Beams from Stampede. Ashanti comprised Tracy Elsdon (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Robbie Bearns (lead guitar), Jim Martin (pedal steel guitar), Darren Juniper (bass) and Ray Hailey (drums). During this time, Jim was also a regular dep with Steve Mitchell and Shiloh. Although never a member of the band he did spend a lot of time playing with them. He also worked with a re vamped version of Ian Fox’s Highway Shoes, and also with bands Tawny and Gypsy. Gypsy were Sue Hennessey (lead vocals), Terry Worrledge (lead guitar), Jan Woodhouse (keyboard), Karl Garrett (bass), Jim Martin (pedal steel guitar) and Frog Goddard (drums). Gypsy later evolved into Jackson Queen finally bowing out in 2009.
In about 1990, Jim joined his next band Mean Business fronted by Barry Westbrook. There were several changes of personnel over the years but the line up in 1991 was Barry Westbrook (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Jim Martin (pedal steel guitar), Toby Chapman (keyboards and vocals) – Toby has since played with many top bands including Spandau Ballet in 2015 and ABC in 2016, Tony Skey (bass) and Doug Lang (drums) – Doug is now a member of blues band Absolution. In 1995 some session work took Jim to Nashville where he played some shows with the short lived but critically acclaimed Country rock band Union Jack.
Following Jim’s departure from Mean Business in 1998 he had short stints with Longshot fronted by Glyn Long and Marietta Station: Lois Clark (vocals), Jim Martin (pedal steel guitar), Sara Curran (keyboards) and Alan Weight (bass). Between 1999 and 2001 Jim was involved with two successful touring theatre productions, both produced by Mervyn Conn. ‘Stand by Your Man’ (the Tammy Wynette story), and ‘Queens of Country’, a musical portraying the songs of Tammy Wynette, Dolly Parton, and Patsy Cline.
In the early years of the millennium Jim joined the John Douglas Band (trio) and then spent three years with Chris Harris in the duo Harrison County. Chris and Jim lived three hundred miles apart so when Chris had to take time off for personal reasons it was time for Jim to move on to his next venture Black Steel.
The other half of the story: Southern Breeze was formed in Cambridgeshire in 1978. The original line up comprised. Pete Jeary (lead vocals and acoustic guitar), Tony Kolleng (lead guitar), John Kollop (bass) and Trevor Holland (drums). Tony had previously been in a non-country band called Tramp. Shortly after the band was formed, Tony’s brother Mick (lead guitar) brought the band up to a five-piece. When Southern Breeze decided to record an album in 1978 Pete Jeary commented that he wanted to have steel guitar on the album. While discussing this over a few beers Tony Kolleng told him “you buy it, I’ll play it”. A week later when the band got together for a rehearsal Pete brought along a pedal steel guitar and true to his word Tony agreed to learn how to play it. Despite seeking help from other steelies Tony ended up teaching himself listening continually to the best US steel players like Ralph Mooney. Six weeks later although he had only learnt the basics he felt sufficiently competent to play steel on two of the tracks on the album. As with many bands at that time the line up was somewhat fluid. Lead singer Pete Jeary left and was replaced by Tony Kolleng’s long time friend Bob Schwarz. Bob didn’t (and still doesn’t) play an instrument but he was a good singer and came in to front the band.
John Kollop also left and was replaced by Tony’s other brother Peter. As Mick played lead guitar and was a second lead singer, Tony was able to concentrate on pedal steel guitar. A third line up change some years later saw the departure of drummer Trevor Holland who was replaced by Kevin Smith. Southern Breeze provided backing for Tex Withers when he was in the UK. They worked mainly in East Anglia playing the clubs, festivals, and the many American airbases where they were always well received.
Southern Breeze continued until about 1990 after which Tony Kolleng formed Speed Limit duo with his partner Angie Clark. Tony and Angie are currently still performing as Speed Limit although they are now concentrating on their country holiday business. After the demise of Southern Breeze, Bob Schwarz formed Tennessee Whiskey.
As with many bands there were several changes of personnel over the years but the line-up in 1994 when they played the Colchester Festival on Mersea Island, Essex was Bob Schwarz (lead vocals), Ron Pit (lead guitar), Terry Mayhew (bass and vocals) and Merv Gooding (drums). When Tennessee Whiskey disbanded, Bob and Ron carried on as Double Whiskey duo. Sometimes Double Whiskey worked as a trio reviving Tennessee Whiskey, with Jim Martin coming in as the third member on pedal steel guitar. The duo finally called it a day in 2010 when Jim and Bob formed Black Steel.
Although Black Steel are now in their 11th year and remain busy Jim quite often plays with other acts, as a dep musician, and his work can be heard on several albums by other artists including McKenZie, Darren Busby, Country Company and Rosie Horne and he has recorded backing tracks for John Douglas and Paul Wright Tracks. Lockdown gave him the opportunity to be involved with the Dropbox Cowboys project that through remote recording produced a lovely album of some great songs and also raised a good sum for Captain Tom’s charity
After three years off the road, Chris Harris came back as a soloist and despite living in South Wales he has a very full diary. Before covid he occasionally teamed up with his old friend Jim Martin as Southern Union Duo. Black Steel occasionally work as a trio, usually this is with Alby Parker who comes in as a second guitarist and vocalist, who has also written some great songs, which the trio include in their set.
With the demise of Premonition c1971/2, Jim’s next band was a 5-piece pop/rock band called Sting. They comprised Graham Khan (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Jasper Scott (keyboard and vocals), John Cooper (lead guitar), Jim Martin (bass) and Frog Goddard (drums). The band lasted until 1979 when some band members wanted a change of direction from rock to Country. John, Frog and Jim formed Stampede and brought in Tony Draper on vocals and rhythm guitar. In 1980 Stampede got a record deal with SRT Productions. Jim decided to learn pedal steel guitar for an album. By the time the album was released a few months later he was sufficiently proficient to play on three of the tracks. Various line up changes followed, Robbie Bearns replaced John Cooper on lead guitar and Jim went fully onto pedal steel guitar with Alan Newstead coming in on bass.
With the demise of Stampede in the mid-1980s, Jim joined Tracy Elsdon’s band Ashanti bringing with him Robbie Beams from Stampede. Ashanti comprised Tracy Elsdon (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Robbie Bearns (lead guitar), Jim Martin (pedal steel guitar), Darren Juniper (bass) and Ray Hailey (drums). During this time, Jim was also a regular dep with Steve Mitchell and Shiloh. Although never a member of the band he did spend a lot of time playing with them. He also worked with a re vamped version of Ian Fox’s Highway Shoes, and also with bands Tawny and Gypsy. Gypsy were Sue Hennessey (lead vocals), Terry Worrledge (lead guitar), Jan Woodhouse (keyboard), Karl Garrett (bass), Jim Martin (pedal steel guitar) and Frog Goddard (drums). Gypsy later evolved into Jackson Queen finally bowing out in 2009.
In about 1990, Jim joined his next band Mean Business fronted by Barry Westbrook. There were several changes of personnel over the years but the line up in 1991 was Barry Westbrook (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Jim Martin (pedal steel guitar), Toby Chapman (keyboards and vocals) – Toby has since played with many top bands including Spandau Ballet in 2015 and ABC in 2016, Tony Skey (bass) and Doug Lang (drums) – Doug is now a member of blues band Absolution. In 1995 some session work took Jim to Nashville where he played some shows with the short lived but critically acclaimed Country rock band Union Jack.
Following Jim’s departure from Mean Business in 1998 he had short stints with Longshot fronted by Glyn Long and Marietta Station: Lois Clark (vocals), Jim Martin (pedal steel guitar), Sara Curran (keyboards) and Alan Weight (bass). Between 1999 and 2001 Jim was involved with two successful touring theatre productions, both produced by Mervyn Conn. ‘Stand by Your Man’ (the Tammy Wynette story), and ‘Queens of Country’, a musical portraying the songs of Tammy Wynette, Dolly Parton, and Patsy Cline.
In the early years of the millennium Jim joined the John Douglas Band (trio) and then spent three years with Chris Harris in the duo Harrison County. Chris and Jim lived three hundred miles apart so when Chris had to take time off for personal reasons it was time for Jim to move on to his next venture Black Steel.
The other half of the story: Southern Breeze was formed in Cambridgeshire in 1978. The original line up comprised. Pete Jeary (lead vocals and acoustic guitar), Tony Kolleng (lead guitar), John Kollop (bass) and Trevor Holland (drums). Tony had previously been in a non-country band called Tramp. Shortly after the band was formed, Tony’s brother Mick (lead guitar) brought the band up to a five-piece. When Southern Breeze decided to record an album in 1978 Pete Jeary commented that he wanted to have steel guitar on the album. While discussing this over a few beers Tony Kolleng told him “you buy it, I’ll play it”. A week later when the band got together for a rehearsal Pete brought along a pedal steel guitar and true to his word Tony agreed to learn how to play it. Despite seeking help from other steelies Tony ended up teaching himself listening continually to the best US steel players like Ralph Mooney. Six weeks later although he had only learnt the basics he felt sufficiently competent to play steel on two of the tracks on the album. As with many bands at that time the line up was somewhat fluid. Lead singer Pete Jeary left and was replaced by Tony Kolleng’s long time friend Bob Schwarz. Bob didn’t (and still doesn’t) play an instrument but he was a good singer and came in to front the band.
John Kollop also left and was replaced by Tony’s other brother Peter. As Mick played lead guitar and was a second lead singer, Tony was able to concentrate on pedal steel guitar. A third line up change some years later saw the departure of drummer Trevor Holland who was replaced by Kevin Smith. Southern Breeze provided backing for Tex Withers when he was in the UK. They worked mainly in East Anglia playing the clubs, festivals, and the many American airbases where they were always well received.
Southern Breeze continued until about 1990 after which Tony Kolleng formed Speed Limit duo with his partner Angie Clark. Tony and Angie are currently still performing as Speed Limit although they are now concentrating on their country holiday business. After the demise of Southern Breeze, Bob Schwarz formed Tennessee Whiskey.
As with many bands there were several changes of personnel over the years but the line-up in 1994 when they played the Colchester Festival on Mersea Island, Essex was Bob Schwarz (lead vocals), Ron Pit (lead guitar), Terry Mayhew (bass and vocals) and Merv Gooding (drums). When Tennessee Whiskey disbanded, Bob and Ron carried on as Double Whiskey duo. Sometimes Double Whiskey worked as a trio reviving Tennessee Whiskey, with Jim Martin coming in as the third member on pedal steel guitar. The duo finally called it a day in 2010 when Jim and Bob formed Black Steel.
Although Black Steel are now in their 11th year and remain busy Jim quite often plays with other acts, as a dep musician, and his work can be heard on several albums by other artists including McKenZie, Darren Busby, Country Company and Rosie Horne and he has recorded backing tracks for John Douglas and Paul Wright Tracks. Lockdown gave him the opportunity to be involved with the Dropbox Cowboys project that through remote recording produced a lovely album of some great songs and also raised a good sum for Captain Tom’s charity
After three years off the road, Chris Harris came back as a soloist and despite living in South Wales he has a very full diary. Before covid he occasionally teamed up with his old friend Jim Martin as Southern Union Duo. Black Steel occasionally work as a trio, usually this is with Alby Parker who comes in as a second guitarist and vocalist, who has also written some great songs, which the trio include in their set.
Research by Nick Catford.