Steve McEwan

Steve McEwan is a multi Grammy award-winning British songwriter, artist, and musician. His songs have been recorded by country music artists including Chris Stapleton, Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill, and Keith Urban. Outside of country, he has also written with rock and pop stars such as Kylie Minogue, Roger Daltrey, David Archuleta, James Morrison, James Blunt, Jackson Browne, James Bay, and James Arthur as well as rapper Eminem. His song "Cry" with Jon Batiste won best American Roots song and Best Performance at the 2022 Grammys and he also won overall Best Album for "We Are". In 2024 he won the Grammy for Best Song For Social Change for "Refugee" with the artist K'naan.

Early career

Steve first began playing music at the age of 10 when his family relocated from Scotland to South Africa. He was just 17 when Miriam Makeba, the queen of African music, recorded his song "I Still Long for You". Lucky Dube then recorded "Khululeka" which he had co-written in an African band called Friends First. Steve then moved to London and joined World Party led by the influential Karl Wallinger. After a year-long tour, he signed his own deal with Arista. He also worked with pop star Robbie Williams, playing guitar and singing on Robbie's 1997, 1998 and 2000 albums, as well as Joe Cocker's '' No Ordinary World''.

In 2000, Steve formed his own band called UnAmerican. The group recorded its Universal/Estupendo debut album in Memphis and went on the road opening for Neil Young and Crazy Horse (band) and The Who. During that time, Steve co-wrote songs with The Who's lead singer Roger Daltrey. He produced one of the songs called "A Second Out" which appeared on Daltrey's solo CD in 2004. UnAmerican then signed with Lost Highway and recorded their second album but it was never released.

Songwriting career

In 2001, Steve had the opportunity to write with country songwriter Craig Wiseman in London. He was then invited to a writer retreat in Nashville put together by BMG music publishing. That was where Steve, Craig and Naoise Sheridan co-wrote "Young", which became a huge hit for Kenny Chesney the following year. During that same visit to Nashville, Steve's UnAmerican songs came to the attention of Faith Hill, who recorded "If This Is the End" and "Wicked" for her three million selling CD Cry of 2002. From there Steve continued to have successful singles on country radio: Tim McGraw's " My Old Friend" and Brooks and Dunn's " That's What It's All About". " Summertime" soon followed and was another massive Kenny Chesney hit co-written by Steve, and then came the No. 1 single " Just A Dream" by artist Carrie Underwood. His regular trips to Nashville have resulted in four number 1 singles and cuts on more than 50 million albums worldwide.

Steve never left his pop/rock roots as his success writing for that genre continued. He co-wrote four songs on pop/ R&B sensation James Morrison's 2007 release called Undiscovered. He also wrote "One of the Brightest Stars" with James Blunt for the 2007 '' All the Lost Souls'' album and had two songs on pop star David Archuleta's debut album in 2008.

Steve has co-written Keith Urban's No. 1 single "Only You Can Love Me This Way". Three of Steve's songs can be found on Carrie Underwood's 3 November 2009 release ''Play On,'' as well as other 2009 releases on Leslie Mendelson (Rykodisc), Brooke White (June Baby Records), Jesse James (IDJ/Mercury) and Foreigner (Rhino Entertainment).

In 2010, McEwan co-wrote the track "Space Bound" for Eminem and also sang the hook. The song is the fourth single off the '' Recovery'' album.

Currently, Steve is working on projects with Steve Aoki, K'Naan, and Jon Batiste to be released in early 2021.

Steve McEwan is administered by SONGS of Kobalt Music Group.

Discography

2023 - “Trust” - Chris Stapleton

2023 - “Refugee” - K’naan

2023 - “Love Come Back To Me” - Phillip Phillips

2022 - "True Blood" - James Arthur

2022 - "Mood Swings" - Emma Klein

2021 - "Cry" - Jon Batiste

2020 - "If You Can't Say Anything Nice" - Leslie Mendelson

2020 - "Fall With You" - Emma McGrath

2019 - "A Human Touch" - Jackson Browne and Leslie Mendelson

2019 - "Sulwe's Song" - Lupita Nyong’o

2019 - "You Got This" - Kelsey Waters

2018 - Change For The Good" - The Wandering Hearts

2018 - Without You" - Anderson East

2018 - "Don't Stop" - Jon Batiste

2018 - "Low Blow" - Kylie Minogue

2018 - " Golden" - Kylie Minogue

2018 - " Stop Me from Falling" - Kylie Minogue

2018 - "Dancing" - Kylie Minogue

2017 - "I Don't Trust Myself" - Sara Evans

2017 - "Diving In Deep" - Sara Evans

2017 - "Careless Love" - Kimock

2017 - "Satellite City" - Kimock

2017 - "Jericho" - Leslie Mendelson

2017 - "Love You Tonight" - Leslie Mendelson

2017 - "I Know You Won't" - Rascal Flatts

2017 - "Forever"- Kat Edmonson

2016 - "Sober"- James Arthur

2016 - "If Only" -James Arthur

2016 - "Love And Hate" - Arrow Benjamin

2016 - "Everybody Wants To Be Loved" - Martina McBride

2016 - "Strangers" - Bobby Bazini

2016 - "Hole In The World" - Nashville Soundtrack

2016 - "Bombshell" - Ashley Monroe

2015 - "Washington State Fight Song" - Matt Nathanson

2015 – "First Flight Out" – The Shires

2015 – "If You Ever Want To Be in Love" – James Bay

2014 – "It's Not Like Me" – The Mastersons

2013 – "Blue on Blue" – James Blunt

2013 – "Trust" – Alfie Boe

2013 – "Never Like This" – Danielle Bradbery

2013 – " All Cried Out" – Kree Harrison

2012 – "Time Flies" – Kenny Chesney

2012 – "No One Will Ever Love You" – The Music of Nashville: Season 1 Volume 1

2012 – "Keep Coming Back" – Haley Reinhart

2012 – "Wake Up (Dreaming of You) – Mark Haze

2011 – "Grace" – Nerina Pallot

2011 – "Kiss Goodbye" – Little Big Town

2011 – "Tell Me I'm Not Dreaming" – Katherine Jenkins

2011 – "She's a Wildflower" – Lauren Alaina

2011 – "Tupelo" – Lauren Alaina

2011 – "Grace" – Nerina Pallot

2010 – "Space Bound" – Eminem

2009 – "I Know You Better Than That" – Leslie Mendelson

2009 – "Easy Love" – Leslie Mendelson

2009 – "I See Myself With You" – Leslie Mendelson

2009 – "So Far So Bad" – Leslie Mendelson

2009 – "If I Don't Stop Loving You" – Leslie Mendelson

2009 – "No Easy Way Out" – Leslie Mendelson

2009 – "Hit The Spot" – Leslie Mendelson

2009 – "Goodnight" – Leslie Mendelson

2009 – "The Rest of London" – Leslie Mendelson

2009 – "Out of the Ashes" – Brooke White

2009 – "Be Careful" – Brooke White

2009 – "Inevitable" – Jesse James

2009 – "I Can't Give Up" – Foreigner

2009 – "Lonely" – Foreigner

2009 – "What Can I Say" – Carrie Underwood

2009 – "This Time" – Carrie Underwood

2009 – "Someday When I Stop Loving You" – Carrie Underwood

2009 – "Touch My Hand" – David Archuleta

2009 – "Barriers" – David Archuleta

2009 – " Only You Can Love Me This Way" – Keith Urban

2009 – "Love Is the Lesson" – Billy Ray Cyrus

2008 – "I'm All for Love" – Serena Ryder

2008 – "My Hallelujah Song" – Julianne Hough

2008 – "Found" – Josh Gracin

2008 – " Just a Dream" – Carrie Underwood

2007 – "Get Out of This Town" – Carrie Underwood

2007 – "I Know You Won't" – Carrie Underwood

2007 – "The More Boys I Meet" – Carrie Underwood

2007 – "One of the Brightest Stars" – James Blunt

2007 – "If I Had Your Name" – Martina McBride

2007 – "Comin' Home" – Tim McGraw

2007 – "Under the Influence" – James Morrison

2007 – "The Last Goodbye" – James Morrison

2007 – "How Come" – James Morrison

2006 – "Stronger" – Robert Randolph

2006 – "Gotta Keep Moving" – Kellie Pickler

2006 – "God Made Woman" – Keith Urban

2005 – "We're Young and Beautiful" – Carrie Underwood

2004 – "A Second Out" – Roger Daltrey

2005 – " Summertime" – Kenny Chesney

2005 – " My Old Friend" – Tim McGraw

2004 – " That's What It's All About" – Brooks & Dunn

2002 – "Young" – Kenny Chesney

2002 – "Wicked" – Faith Hill

2002 – "If This Is the End" – Faith Hill

2000 – "If This Is the End" – UnAmerican

2000 – "Wicked" – UnAmerican

2000 – "I Was Wrong" – UnAmerican

2000 – "Make Up Your Mind" – UnAmerican

2000 – "She's a Bomb" – UnAmerican

1991 – "Eyes on Tomorrow" – Miriam Makeba

1991 – "I Still Long For You" – Miriam Makeba

References

External links

Interview, HitQuarters Jan 2010

{{DEFAULTSORT:McEwan, Steve
Living people
British male songwriters
South African people of Scottish descent
Year of birth missing (living people)