HONKY-TONK OPERA
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            HONKY-TONK OPERA

With all the neon lights to set the stage
There's gonna be some drama in this place
And when the music brings the room to life
The curtain opens on the whole charade

     It's a Honky-Tonk Opera
     I know the scene all too well
     It's a Honky-Tonk Opera
     So many stories to tell

Pretty women draw a sea of hats
Men push closer tryin' to watch 'em dance
Just when you think there's gonna be a fight
Someone hollers out, "I'll drink to that!"

     It's a Honky-Tonk Opera
     I know the scene all too well
     It's a Honky-Tonk Opera
     So many stories to tell

It's the kind of show you shouldn't miss
Costumes change and the plot has twists
But all the characters stay the same
And it's been goin' on for years like this

     It's a Honky-Tonk Opera
     I know the scene all too well
     It's a Honky-Tonk Opera
     So many stories to tell
     So many stories to tell


          Written by Jeff Stewart and Steve Trinward
          Copyright 1996 Blue Clover Music / trinSongs
         

 

 

   
       
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Status: Pre-Release Version 1.0 is ALMOST available

Style: Honky Tonk, Country, Country/Rock

Songs:
MY OL' STOMPIN' GROUND
HONKY-TONK OPERA
IF I KNEW AN ANGEL
QUEEN OF THE NEON
OUT OF THE QUESTION
THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY
EMPTY BOTTLES
I'LL LET THE JUKEBOX DO MY TALKIN'
A WOMAN LIKE THAT
HONEY, DON'T YOU DARE
THE RECIPE
JESUS IN A BOTTLE
I CAN'T GO HOME
YOU CAN'T STAY HERE

  

   
    
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Co-Writers:  Jeff Stewart and Steve Trinward

Photos and Bio and more at www.JeffStewart.com and for Steve Trinward:

Steve Trinward has been a writer/communicator all his life. After a good Christian raisin' (and a strong college-prep education) in the White Mountains of Western Maine, he migrated to college in Boston, MA, where he learned to challenge authority ... and question just about everything (except perhaps why it took him 25 years to leave there?). He moved to Nashville in 1993, seeking fresh turf, a warmer climate and "the right place to be a writer"; he now sees Music City as "the true home I was always looking for."

Steve's past careers include: newspaper reporter, editor and columnist; political activist and candidate; technical writer, proofreader and word processor; computer network manager, technical support rep, consultant and systems troubleshooter. Since he came to Nashville, he's worked at a variety of office jobs, even did some data-cable installing, before breaking an arm in a ladder-fall in August '95. (Despite this setback, he resumed guitar-lessons -- focusing on improving and expanding his melodic, harmonic and rhythmic vocabulary.) For three years, he performed various administrative and accounting functions for a local fiberoptic systems integration firm, before leaving in the spring of '99 to start his own business, trinWORDS (but if you've somehow gotten here, you know that part ...).

Steve has been writing songs since 1970, including regular co-writing, both during the 80s and now. Musical influences include Bob Dylan; Joni Mitchell; the Beatles, Eagles and Beach Boys; Bruce Springsteen; Patty Larkin and David Wilcox (along with numerous writer-friends of thus-far-lesser reputations). Favorite non-music writers: Harlan Ellison, Jean Auel, Richard Adams, Hunter Thompson, W. P. Kinsella, J. R. R. Tolkien, Robert Heinlein and Spider Robinson. Other interests: Vandy women's basketball, the Red Sox and Braves, Libertarian Party politics, Science of Mind Church and egg-shaking/ harmonizing at the Mike Williams Six-Chair Pickin' Parties.

Eight years ago, Steve visited Nashville for the first time, and became convinced that the current roster of Burr, Chapman, DiPiero, Henry, Kaset, Peters, Prestwood, Reid, Sanders, Schlitz, Seskin, Taylor-Good, et al. had somehow inhabited the souls of Porter, Gershwin, Hammerstein, Hart, Rodgers, Kern & Co. Almost overnight, he became a staunch defender and devotee of country music, declaring it "about the only place where they still write songs for intelligent humans." Despite the continuing "pop-ification" of that realm, very little has happened since to change that opinion.

Steve's musical accomplishments include acceptance to and completion of the 1996 ASCAP Country Songwriting Workshop, several dozen co-writes with multiple partners, continued guitar-skills improvement, and a catalog of over 100 pitchable songs. He is co-organizer, booker, promoter and sometimes performer for the "Kathy's Night Off" writers' nights. Other activities include membership on the Steering Committee of the Tennessee International Jazz Festival and its charity, the Scattin' in the Schools music education program. He also assists with Sunday School classes and a Babe Ruth baseball team.
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Other Song(s) Written with Jeff Stewart:  The One That Got Away,
Pull Over, In the Movies, et al.


 
 

       
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I had written most of this one myself and brought Steve in to finish it with me.  I think we wrote the last verse together . . . Years later, I went back and rewrote the second verse. 

Honky-Tonks are my favorite place to be . . . I always say, put me in a honky-tonk anywhere and I'll be a happy camper!  In fact, I've decided that I want to be interred in "the hillbilly knight" (a suit of armor overlooking the dancefloor) at Robert's (my favorite honky-tonk in Nashville - in fact, probably just my favorite place to be, period)!   I may have to speak with Jesse about that!  - Jeff