Check Out Steven Bosco’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Steven Bosco.

Hi Steven, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I was born in St. George, Utah, and grew up in Staten Island, New York. Every summer was spent visiting my grandparent’s cabin in Island Park, Idaho. We spent time horseback riding, fishing, target shooting, garnet hunting, searching for arrowheads, exploring Yellowstone, rafting, kayaking, hiking, and more. My grandpa would play old country classics in the car as we drove to our next fun-filled experience (lots of Johnny Cash).

His name was Lester Taylor. Many evenings he would play the harmonica and sing me old cowboy songs; he always knew the words! Throughout my childhood, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to music and deeply enjoyed good lyrics. I naturally gravitated towards country music and was probably the only one in my friend group who did so (being in NY). When I was about 11, I had a friend who started playing electric guitar.

He was a natural at it, and one day a big group of us school kids (grade 6 or 7) stopped by his house. He played a song for everyone and we all cheered with excitement. I soon bought a guitar and tried to play it. I didn’t take lessons and quickly got discouraged. I sold the guitar and decided “music just wasn’t my thing.” Fast forward to 17 and as a senior in high school, my mother signed me up for a guitar lesson without telling me.

One Sunday night, she told me I had a lesson the next day and I was sort of upset. However, I went and absolutely loved it. It was a vessel that I could use to sing over. I started practicing many hours every day and slowly made progress. It wasn’t too long until I graduated high school, and had the summer off before attending the University of Utah. For at least a three-week span, I practiced 7-10 hours a day. I then met my family in Italy, at our hereditary home that we had visited growing up.

My dad wasn’t too happy I brought my guitar, but when I took it out and started playing and singing, his jaw dropped. He was blown away and so excited/proud of me. I will never forget that. From that moment on, I knew I wasn’t stopping. In August of 2014, I moved to Salt Lake City and started college, playing every day in my dorm room – apologies to my former roommates. Songwriting became an interest of mine, and after a breakup with my high school girlfriend, I really dove into it.

I got a job working for an archery shop, which lasted about eight months before I quit in the search for music gigs. In mid-2015, I got a routine gig playing at Potbelly’s sandwich shop. I racked up five to three-hour gigs a week at multiple locations and really began the grind. In early 2017, I watched a band play at the Westerner Club in SLC. The entire night, I was so frustrated watching the singing and knowing I could do a better job. “I should be up there. I can do so much better. I should be the one on that stage,” I told myself repeatedly.

It seriously bothered me. A few months later, I figured I’d better find a band. I put a listing out in the local classifieds and got a call. I went to the audition and it turned out to be the same band that I saw at the Westerner months earlier. I got the spot and replaced the very singer I saw that night, months earlier. I played many shows with this band and even traveled a bit.

My schedule soon got busy playing for multiple bands, doing solo gigs, and going to school. I even met my wife when I was playing at the Westerner Club in 2018. By the beginning of 2020, I married, graduated college, and had played all the country clubs in the area, as well as county fairs, state fairs, festivals, and much more (also opening for Dillon Carmichael). With my skill set developed and my entertaining abilities honed, I was ready for the next year. Unfortunately, in March 2020, everything shut down due to COVID and I was left with almost no gigs.

I worked a construction job for my landlord’s company and got to learn how to work a bit more with my hands. It was a good time, but as soon as things came back in February of 2021, I left and resumed my music career. I was playing six nights a week the whole year, sometimes ten days in a row! I felt a new sense of motivation and landed my first major music festival appearance in July – Country Fan Fest 2021. I played the first slot at 5 pm on opening day, but it upgraded me to a whole new level.

For the first time, I watched people I never met singing the words to my very own songs (I had about three or so singles out at the time). Over the year, much of my performance time was spent in Park City and Salt Lake. Another highlight was opening for Stephanie Quayle at the O.P. Rockwell. Since then, I have been writing, releasing, and marketing my music, and looking for every opportunity to progress. I have a new single coming out very soon about my Grandpa (previously mentioned).

When he was 12 years old, his father was hit and killed by a train, leaving the family very poor and destitute. He told me on the phone once that despite the hardships, he had a “very colorful childhood.” This inspired me to write the song, “The Desert At Night,” my upcoming release. As of May 1st, we are now living in the greater Nashville area (in Portland).

I’ve set my sights on connecting with the music community here and furthering my family, career, and self.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I answered this briefly in the previous question; however, I’d love to add more. The struggle of booking, creating, marketing, performing, etc.

All at once, is something many artists are familiar with. This is something I have felt overwhelmed with sometimes. Furthermore, I personally struggled with having a focused direction.

The music industry is so vague and broad with so many conflicting opinions. There is no right way to do things, and this made it very hard to know how to further my career.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a country music artist who writes songs, records them, and performs them. I love performing, and as a former high school wrestler, I relate it to the feelings of wrestling 1v1 on the mats. It is a thrill with lots of rewarding pressure.

My family comes rich in military/police tradition, and pioneer history. I love to write songs about my family and that is evident in my music. My single, “Runs In The Family,” is a song I am very proud of. My Grandfather (the other side than the one previously mentioned) was a US Marine who stormed the beaches of the Philippines in World War 2. The song says, “Ain’t never been a whiner, just a thick skin and cold blood survivor.

He deserves the praise, he gets at the monthly gathering of local marines.” I have fallen in love with the violin/fiddle and really want to continue to incorporate that into my sound. A good example is my song, “Not Missing You Pose.” This song is my most streamed song on Spotify, currently.

I think what sets me apart from others, is my individual perspective of life and experiences combined with my innate charisma and craftiness with words.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
A favorite childhood memory would probably be running from the police on my little 80cc dirt bike. I had gotten this tiny dirt bike from Craigslist and rode it down to my friend’s house on the other side of the neighborhood. My friend got in his older cousin’s truck and wanted to see how fast I can go on it.

We were driving up the street with them in front when a cop saw me and started pulling me over. Keep in mind, that dirt bikes are illegal in Staten Island, and the max speed I could go on this was 35-40mph. I saw my friend in the back window of the truck laughing and freaking out.

They took off another way and I was left to fend for myself. I thought I’d try to escape and gunned it. With my heart racing, I looked back and saw the cop car right behind me. I kept going but wasn’t getting away. I decided I better give it up, and stopped right at the entrance of the woods. The office got out and started screaming at me asking “what are you doing?!” He was not happy and I had no words.

I told him I’m so sorry and that I’ll walk it home. He was genuinely frustrated at what I did but knew that I wasn’t meaning harm. He gave me a bit of a scare and let me walk it home. I had to push that thing up my street, which was a big hill and probably the worst punishment I could’ve gotten (aside from the dirt bike being taken). I think back to that and crack up laughing every time.

Contact Info:

• Email: contact@stevenbosco.com
• Website: https://www.stevenbosco.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenboscomusic
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stevenboscomusic
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/stevenbosco
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/stevenbosco