Stephen Thomas "Steve" Azar
(born April 11, 1964 in Greenville, Mississippi) is an American country music artist. Azar was signed to River North Nashville in 1995, and he released his debut album on February 27, 1996. After leaving River North, Azar took time away from his music. He returned in 2002 with his biggest hit, the #2 "I Don't Have to Be Me ('Til Monday)", which was the lead-off single from his second studio album, Waitin' on Joe
. In 2006, Azar released the single "You Don't a Know a Thing". The single was supposed to be the lead-off to a third studio album, via Midas Records Nashville. When the song failed to make the Top 40, Azar left Midas. In early-2008, he formed his own label, Dang Records, and released Indianola
in 2008.
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STEVE AZAR TICKETS
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Biography
Azar grew up in
Greenville, Mississippi. By the time he was 5, he had begun performing at his own house with a toy guitar. In 1982, Azar entered
Delta State University, intending to major in pre-med with an emphasis on chemistry. Three years later, however, he switched his major to management, although his interested had shifted to music. Azar and formed a band with his brother Joe and developed a following throughout the Southeast. The band logged over 200 shows a year from Florida to Tennessee, including two New Year's performances at Overton Square.
After seven years on the road, Azar decided to find a record deal. He made the move to Nashville in 1993 at the urging of his friend, PGA champ
Jim Gallagher, Jr. He signed a publishing deal, then a record deal with River North Records.
Music career
Heartbreak Town
Azar's debut album,
Heartbreak Town
was released on February 27, 1996, via River North Nashville Records.
The album failed to chart on the
Billboard
Top Country Albums chart. It did, however, feature two charting singles on the country singles charts. The first of these, "Someday", reached #51 on the Country charts, and also charted at #65 on the
RPM
Country Singles Chart. The follow-up, "I Never Stopped Loving You", reached #50. After the song fell off the charts, River North closed its doors. Azar would be on a hiatus from music until 2001.
Waitin' on Joe
His second studio album,
Waitin' on Joe
, was released on April 16, 2002, via
Universal Music Group Nashville's Mercury Records. The album charted to #29 on the
Top Country Albums chart. Its leadoff single, "
I Don't Have to Be Me ('Til Monday)", was his biggest chart hit at #2.
Following it were the #28 title track and the non-charting "One Good Reason Why". He returned to touring, but by mid-2004, he needed surgery to correct a hemorrhaging cyst in his throat. After healing, he re-entered the charts in 2005 with "Doin' It Right". This song failed to reach Top 40, however, and after a Christmas single called "Catfish Christmas", Azar left Mercury.
Indianola
Indianola
, his third album, was first set to be released in 2006 from
Midas Records Nashville. The single, "You Don't Know a Thing", was released, but when the song failed to make the Top 40, Azar left Midas. No singles were released until 2008, when he founded his own label (Dang Records) and released the album that May. Two more singles did make the cut to radio with "I Won't Let You Lead Me Down" failing to chart and "You're My Life" debuting at #57 on the
Hot Country Songs chart on the chart week of January 17, 2009 becoming his first chart single in three years.
Slide On Over Here
A new single, "Moo La Moo", was released to radio on April 27, 2009. The song debuted at #60 on the Hot Country Songs chart for the week of June 20, 2009. The song is the lead-off single to Azar's forthcoming fourth studio album,
Slide On Over Here
, which debuted at #57 on the
Top Country Albums chart.
Discography
Studio albums
| Year
| Album details
| Chart positions
[1]
|
| US Country
| US Heat
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| 1996
| Heartbreak Town
- Released: February 27, 1996
- Label: River North Nashville
| —
| —
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| 2002
| Waitin' on Joe
- Released: April 16, 2002
- Label: Mercury Nashville
| 29
| 31
|
| 2008
| Indianola
- Released: May 27, 2008
- Label: Dang Records
| —
| —
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| 2009
| Slide On Over Here
- Released: August 4, 2009
- Label: Ride Records
| 57
| —
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| "—" denotes releases that did not chart
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Singles
| Year
| Single
| Chart Positions | Album
|
| US Country
| US
| CAN Country
|
| 1996
| "Someday"
| 51
| —
| 65
| Heartbreak Town
|
| "I Never Stopped Loving You"
| 50
| —
| —
|
| 2001
| "I Don't Have to Be Me ('Til Monday)"
| 2
| 35
|
| Waitin' on Joe
|
| 2002
| "Waitin' on Joe"
| 28
| —
|
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| 2003
| "One Good Reason Why"
| —
| —
|
|
| 2005
| "Doin' It Right"
| 47
| —
| —
| singles only
|
| 2006
| "Catfish Christmas"
| 53
| —
| —
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| "You Don't Know a Thing"
| 49
| —
| —
| Indianola
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| 2008
| "I Won't Let You Lead Me Down"
| —
| —
| —
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| 2009
| "You're My Life"
| 52
| —
| —
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| "Moo La Moo"A
| 43
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| Slide On Over Here
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"—" denotes the single failed to chart or not released
* denotes unknown peak positions
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Music videos
| Year
| Video
| Director
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| 1996
| "Someday"
| Steven R. Monroe
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| "I Never Stopped Loving You"
| Chris Rogers
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| 2001
| "I Don't Have to Be Me ('Til Monday)"
| Eric Welch
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| 2002
| "Waitin' on Joe"
| Steven Goldmann
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| 2005
| "Catfish Christmas"
| Steven L. Weaver
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| 2006
| "You Don't Know a Thing"
| Peter Zavadil
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| 2007
| "Dancin' in the Clouds" (with Namrata Singh Gujral)
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| 2009
| "Moo La Moo"
| Eric Welch
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| "Moo La Moo" (dance video)
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References
- Steve Azar album chart info