Oli Steadman

Oliver Steadman
Born (1987-11-03) 3 November 1987
Johannesburg, South Africa

Oliver "Oli" Steadman is a British-South African[1][2] multi-instrumentalist.

Stornoway

Steadman is a founding member of Oxford band[3][4] Stornoway,[5][6] and through them is a campaigner with many nature conservation trusts including HIWWT, RSPB,[7][8][9] Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust,[10] Woodland Trust,[11] and British Trust for Ornithology.[12] Steadman hosts the band's Conservation Conversations podcast[13] (whose guests[14] have included Angeline Morrison, Bella Hardy, Rachel Sermanni, Jim Moray, David Ford, Chris Leslie, Yijia Tu, and Arthur Jeffes).[15] He is a patron of Sam Lee's Singing With Nightingales[16] and a regular fundraiser for conservation projects[17] including around the Great North Wood.[18][19]

365 Days of Folk

In 2024 Steadman started 365 Days of Folk,[20][21] a spin-off of Jon Boden's A Folk Song a Day,[22] featuring daily recordings of traditional music.[23] Having completed an entire year of learning & recording a folk song daily the project appears to be continuing indefinitely (as of April 2026 with the publication of songs #460 & above)[24][25][26] and now tours major folk events such as Manchester Folk Festival.[27]

Other projects

Steadman has worked as a studio producer for artists including Nick Cope,[28][29] and as composer / musical director at the Stephen Joseph Theatre,[30][31][32] also serving as manager to many artists,[33] including Willie J Healey,[34] The People Versus,[35] Blue Bayou,[36] and Balloon Ascents / NEVERLND.[37]

Stornoway with Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Jeremy Loops in Durban 30 May 2026
Stornoway with Ladysmith Black Mambazo in Durban, 30 May 2026.

Standing (L to R): Pius Shezi, Jeremy Loops, Mfanafuthi Dlamini, Thamsanqa Shabalala, Brian Briggs, Sibongiseni Shabalala, Jon Ouin, Sabelo Mthembu.
Seated (L to R): Thulani Shabalala, Gagamela Shabalala, Oli Steadman, Msizi Shabalala

In 2013 Steadman founded Count Drachma,[38][39] performing at festivals from WOMAD[40] to WOOD to Festival N°6, co-headlining London's Southbank Centre with the Mahotella Queens,[41] and filming a documentary with The Guardian's Education channel.[42] It was a vehicle for importing the isicathamiya and mbaqanga sounds of South Africa[43] to UK audiences,[44] leading ultimately[45] to Stornoway's MEGS-funded[46] 2026 studio collaboration with Ladysmith Black Mambazo,[47][48][49] and Durban-based Maskandi artists Qadasi & Maqhinga.

In 2014 Steadman founded music-tech startup Tigmus,[50][51] with Stornoway's touring trumpet player Thomas E Hodgson.[52][53]

Since 2015 Steadman has been endorsed by Aria Bass Guitars,[54][55] touring with 2x basses Detroit 313-DR & Detroit 313-BB, and recording with FEB-F2/FL or a Mexican Fender Jazz Bass. All are strung with roundwound strings except the Fender, on which Steadman has played with exclusively flatwound strings since 2009.[56]

In 2024 Steadman established "Traildance".[57]

In 2025 Steadman as a Friend of Blythe Hill Fields[58] accepted Gold and Category Winner awards on their behalf[59] following their creation of a wildlife garden, tiny forest, cherry orchard, and newly dug pond & swales.[60]

References

  1. ↑ Frederick, Dubya. "Surprise Cast #91 Oli Steadman (Stornoway)". Podbean. Retrieved 5 March 2025.
  2. ↑ Frederick, Dubya. "Surprise Cast #98 Oli Steadman (Part 2)". Podbean. Retrieved 5 March 2025.
  3. ↑ Kenney, Esme. "New Oxford cultural centre could boost city music scene". This Is Oxfordshire. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  4. ↑ Gilyeat, Dave (18 October 2025). "How did Oxford become the UK's 'rock capital'?". BBC. BBC. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  5. ↑ Fedele, Maria. "AMAZING PEOPLE: AMAZING LIVES". Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  6. ↑ Rob Power (8 March 2013). "Stornoway's Oli Steadman talks Tales From Terra Firma". Music Radar. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  7. ↑ "Let nature take its course". North Norfolk Living. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  8. ↑ Jupp, Emily. "The weirdest places musicians have played gigs: From The Libertines and Reverend and the Makers to Kanye West and Craig David". Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  9. ↑ Blackburn, Ralph. "Oxford folk pop quartet Stornoway to play first ever gig in a nature reserve". Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  10. ↑ "Stornoway's page Fundraising for Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust". Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  11. ↑ "Stornoway, as Official Champions of @woodlandtrust , are working to spread the awareness of #ashdieback and its tragic effects on the British landscape". Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  12. ↑ "SOC/BTO Scotland Youth Events Programme Online events for young people under 30 in Scotland". Scottish Ornithologists' Club. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  13. ↑ "Further Artists, Expanded Workshop Programme and Saturday Day Passes Announced for Manchester Folk Festival 2026". Manchester Folk Festival. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
  14. ↑ "Conservation Conversations is back! Oli Steadman's (Stornoway) interview series returns". Sound Roots Connect. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  15. ↑ "Conservation Conversations is back! Oli Steadman's (Stornoway) interview series with Manchester Folk returns". Manchester Folk Festival. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  16. ↑ Lee, Sam. "Stewards of the wild". Singing With Nightingales. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  17. ↑ Otto, Michelle Carolin (29 October 2025). "Musician takes on 42km walk to support ancient south London woodland site". Easy London Lines. Easy London Lines. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  18. ↑ "Oli's 42km Hike for Fourth Reserve". JustGiving. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  19. ↑ Greenwood, Daniel. "Stornoway's Oli Steadman on his 30-mile woodland walk in south London". Unlocking Landscapes. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  20. ↑ Neagle, Autumn (14 December 2023). "365 Days of Folk" (PDF). Oxfordshire Music Scene. 55: 18. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  21. ↑ "365 Days Of Folk - song list".
  22. ↑ "A Folk Song A Day - about".
  23. ↑ Balding, Kate (21 December 2023). "Oli Steadman on technology, nature and 'folk sensibility'". Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  24. ↑ May, Colin. "OXFORD FOLK FESTIVAL" (PDF). Nightshift. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  25. ↑ Gray, George. "Oli Steadman and a Musical Marathon: "365 Days of Folk" Goes Beyond Its Goal". Indie Is Not A Genre. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  26. ↑ "365 Days Of Folk: Song List". Retrieved 24 January 2026.
  27. ↑ "Further Artists, Expanded Workshop Programme and Saturday Day Passes Announced for Manchester Folk Festival 2026". Manchester Folk Festival. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  28. ↑ Pete Hughes (16 October 2014). "Former Oxford Candyskins rocker completes fourth children's album". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  29. ↑ Sam Inglis (1 May 2013). "Stornoway: Recording Tales From Terra Firma". Sound On Sound. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  30. ↑ riley, adrian. ""INTERVIEW NO 78: OLI STEADMAN"".
  31. ↑ "Review: Hansel & Gretel, Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, until December 27".
  32. ↑ "Review: Hansel and Gretel, Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough".
  33. ↑ "Music Managers Forum Managers Directory".
  34. ↑ Ronan Munro (10 December 2016). "A quiet word with... Willie J Healey" (PDF). Nightshift. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  35. ↑ "Nightshift Magazine May 2023" (PDF).
  36. ↑ "Blue Bayou press release" (PDF). Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  37. ↑ Tim Hughes (15 January 2015). "Oxford rockers Balloon Ascents come home for Bullingdon gig". Oxford Times. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  38. ↑ OneNoteForever (14 June 2012). "Spring Offensive @ St. Barnabas – 14/06/2012". Archived from the original on 1 April 2017. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  39. ↑ Heather Nash (17 February 2015). "In The Middle with Stornoway". Retrieved 12 March 2017.
  40. ↑ Liversedge, Belinda. "Oxford band brings Zulu sounds to Womad festival". The South African. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
  41. ↑ Bilen Shifferaw (15 June 2015). "Mahotella Queens & Count Drachma - 22.07.15". Ethiobeauty. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  42. ↑ Century Films (10 April 2015). "'Maskandi music is the way we recall our South African identity' – video". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  43. ↑ Beaumont, Mark. "Graceland, the next generation: 'We hope to continue our father's dream'".
  44. ↑ Whiley, Jo. "BBC Radio 2 2026-04-15". BBC Sounds. BBC. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
  45. ↑ Langa, Jabulani. "UK group to Ladysmith Black Mambazo: Phinda mzala!". Retrieved 7 June 2026.
  46. ↑ "The Sowetan". The Sowetan. The Sowetan. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
  47. ↑ Bengu, Fanelesibonge. "IMambazo iqopha neqembu lase-United Kingdom". Retrieved 2 June 2026.
  48. ↑ Mphande, Joy. "Black Mambazo join forces with UK indie-folk band Stornoway". Retrieved 2 June 2026.
  49. ↑ Mdaka, Zintle. "Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Stornoway unite for global music collaboration". Retrieved 2 June 2026.
  50. ↑ Eleanor Langford (15 June 2015). "INTERVIEW: Stornoway's Oli Steadman discussing Tigmus". Archived from the original on 1 April 2017. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  51. ↑ "Monetising the Music Industry event, 9 March, 2015". Oxford Technology & Media Ltd. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  52. ↑ Pledgemusic (15 June 2015). "Tigmus Improves Touring Experience for Musicians & Fans". Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  53. ↑ The Creative Times (15 June 2017). "Oli Steadman (Count Drachma / Stornoway)". Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  54. ↑ Aria Guitars (20 December 2015). "Oli Steadman of Stornoway played FEB-FL/F". Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  55. ↑ Aria Guitars (20 March 2017). "Oli Steadman with SB-1000RIB". Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  56. ↑ "Aria Guitars Global". Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  57. ↑ "Traildance". Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  58. ↑ Steadman, Oliver. "BHF Woodland Stage 2024". Retrieved 16 April 2026.
  59. ↑ "Lewisham's parks shine at London in Bloom 2025". Lewisham Council. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
  60. ↑ Whiley, Jo. "BBC Radio 2 2026-04-15". BBC Sounds. BBC. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
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