GLASGOW — Those who turned out last week for “Jammin’ on the Square at George J’s” were treated to the traditional country sound of Steel Country.

The band plays hits by country legends like Merle Haggard and George Jones and takes audiences back to a time when the sound of a steel guitar could often be heard in country music.

The band chose its name, not because of the steel guitar, although that would make sense, but because of the musical genre it plays.

“We sat and thought about it and said we’re still country. You would think it would be spelled s-t-i-l-l, but we wanted to have something that sort of highlighted it and made you think when you see the name,” said Tim Durham, lead singer. “Of course we do have the steel in our band, that had a little influence on it. We came up with s-t-e-e-l.”

Durham credits his father, Max, as having a major influence on the type of music he performs. The elder Durham has been part of gospel and country bands over the years.

 “He sang in a gospel group for years and then country [groups]. He’ll sing anything just to get out in front of a crowd,” Durham said.  

Steel Country plays primarily country, but has been known to throw a southern rock tune in the mix from time to time.  

“We love country music,” Durham said. “Old time country music is our passion.”

The band has been performing about 10 years, but not always with the same members. There have been a few changes over the years. The members are: Durham, lead vocals; Clyde Lane, steel guitar; Karl Everett, lead guitar; Donnie Miller, bass guitar; and Jimmy Lewis, drums.

“All of the guys in the band have played in other bands. Something just brought us together,” Durham said.

Being a member of Steel Country is “probably the best musical time of my life,” said Lane.

“This group we have together, there’s no egos to get in the way,” he said.

While the band has been together for 10 years, Lane has known some of his fellow bandmates for 30 plus years.

Lewis describes his bandmates as being a “bunch of old-timers out having a good time playing music.”

“It’s just like five brothers in a row,” he said.

The music they play are the same tunes the band members grew up listening to.

“I guess we are going through our second childhood playing music we all grew up with,” he said.

Miller agrees and said, “Most of us grew up with the stuff from the ‘60s when Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings and a lot of the, what I considered to be the backbone of country, were starting out.”

In the 1970s, he worked in radio for WGGC.

“I played everything I could find from the ‘60s and up because that was the music I grew up with,” he said.

The traditional sound of country music has a certain feel compared to new-age country, which is more pop-oriented, he said.

“It’s more about day-to-day things that have happened in a person’s life. It’s something that will touch each and every person that you can relate to ... that maybe happened to yourself or someone you know,” Miller said.  

Everett agrees, and said, “We like the old traditional country. Of course I like the old ‘50s and ‘60s music. I’m not too fond of the new stuff. It doesn’t have a story to it.”

Everett is an original member of the band.

“Most of us have played together years ago, all the clubs in Bowling Green, and we had kind of gotten tired and we just kind of got together and started having fun and formed [the band],” he said.

Miller became a regular band member after filling in for another member who couldn’t make a gig. It wasn’t long after that he was invited to become a full-time member.

“They are all good guys,” he said. “ I had been playing in Bowling Green for about 10 years. I was getting tired of traveling back and forth to Bowling Green all the time. I knew it was closer to home, the stuff they would be doing.”

Miller added that whenever the band gets together they have a good time. If he had to pick a favorite song the band performs, it would have to be “Is It Raining At Your House,” which is a Vern Gosden song, which was remade by Brad Paisley.

“He [Karl] does a really good job on that,” he said.

 Everett said he thought Paisley did a good job with it, but he prefers Gosden’s version over the remake.

Probably the most requested song the band gets is “The Fireman,” by George Strait.

The band has tried to write some of its own music, but prefers to play hits by country greats.

“We tried it a little bit [writing], but for some reason my pencil didn’t work right,” Durham said. “Audiences like to be able to sing along with what you’re doing. That’s the way we’ve found it.”

The band isn’t looking for a record deal.

“We’re probably as far as we’re going to go,” Durham said. “We love to entertain people. I guess we are more entertainers than we are singers.”

The band does not have a CD, but that is something the band wants to do.

The band is staying busy with small concerts.

“We’re opening for Clay Underwood on Sept. 18 at Honey’s Barbecue,” Durham said.  

Fans can also catch the band the first Saturday of every month at The Venue on Reynolds Road.

Aside from that, Steel Country is available for weddings, receptions and private parties.

To book the band, call Durham at 590-5777.