From:  "Dik de Heer"
Date:  Sun Feb 15, 2004  7:04 am
Subject:  This Is My Story : Stephen Ackles
 
STEPHEN ACKLES

Born 15 February 1966, Eid, Norway

Singer / pianist / songwriter / actor.

Stephen Ackles is the son of a Norwegian mother (Bergliot Kittilsen)
and an American father (Allan Dale Ackles), who died in 1989 at the
age of 59. Stephen's musical career started at age 14, and at fifteen he
won his first talent show. In 1982 he formed his first band : "The Silly
Dream", which toured in Norway with "The Elvis Presley Show". He was
on the road for most of the early eighties with "Memory Band", and gained
enormous experience as as a live artist. This is why Stephen still sounds as
great live as on studio recordings. The year 1986 was sort of a professional
breakthrough. He formed "Memphis News" with "Midnight Choir" singer
Paal Flaata. This resulted in his first signing with a record company. Prior to
that, Stephen had made several recordings for different companies, but this
was the first real release on heavy vinyl. His first solo record was released
on Hill Records in 1988, and was nominated for a Norwegian Grammy Award
(Spellemanns-prisen). In 1990 he won the award of Norwegian Champion
in the genre Country, and then attended the International Country festival in
Holland as the Norwegian contribution. From this event he carried a gold star
for the best self-written song "Remember The Time" in his suitcase back to
Norway. Two more Norwegian Grammy nominations for "Let´s Keep The
Night" and "If this Ain´t Music" followed in the period 1991-1993. In 1992,
Stephen recorded a duet with Narvel Felts, "Remember", which went to # 6
on the Norwegian hitparade. Other famous names with whom he has recorded
include James Burton, Waylon Jennings and Linda Gail Lewis and virtually
every famous Norwegian artist.

Stephen's music is a mix of rock 'n' roll, country and gospel. Jerry Lee Lewis
is his greatest influence. Eleven albums have been released, of which "The
Gospel According To Stephen Ackles" was awarded the prestigious "Anskar
Skolens Mediepris 2000" in the spring of 2003.

The following songs by Ackles have topped the Norwegian hitparade:
Hey you, Bettina, One for the moon, Let's keep the night, Det er lørdag og
rock and roll, The American Trilogy, and John the Revelator.

Stephen has been nominated for a Norwegian Grammy three times, but
never got one. (Bastards! - Dik) He does about 150 shows a year,
including TV and radio appearances. He is also an actor and plays theatres
all over Norway. Another tour was kicked off this winter.

Stephen signed a new record deal with West Records in 2002 and released
a follow-up gospel album that year. Universal Norway recently decided to
reissue Stephen`s back catalog. The albums "One for the moon", "Rocking
my life away" and "Sulten på livet"(Norwegian lyrics only) are again out there
and available for everybody to enjoy. His most recent recording is "White
Christmas"/"I can't have a merry Christmas Mary without you" for the holiday
season. Stephen Ackles still rocks on!

Album discography:
Stephen Ackles and the Memphis News (1988, Hill Records, Norway and
Sun Jay records in Sweden)
I ain't no different than you (Grappa, Norway, 1990)
If that ain't music (Fox Records, Norway, 1991)
Hey you (Sony Music, Norway, 1992)
Stephen Ackles rarities (Fox Records, Norway, 1992)
Let's keep the night (Sony Music, Norway, 1993)
One for the moon (Polygram, Norway, 1995)
Rockin' my life away (Polygram, Norway, 1996)
Sulten på livet (Polygram, Norway, 1997). His only album in Norwegian.
The gospel according to...Stephen Ackles (Prima Music, Norway, 1999)
I believe (West Records, 2002).

(Written with the full cooperation of Stephen, who is a member of our list.
Happy birthday, Stephen!)

Official website: http://www.stephenackles.com/