I was in this little band called Stealin Horses. There’s a lot of misinformation about the band, particularly where dates are concerned. The Cliff Notes version of the truth:
In 1985 I hooked up with a group called Radio Cafe (Kiya Heartwood, Sam Gillespie, Thom Thompson). They’d been playing around Lexington for nearly two years by then. Within months of my addition we changed the name to Stealin Horses, made a 10 song tape in Nashville, and then both guys bailed (sigh). Connections made during those Nashville sessions, however, lead to a production deal, followed by a major label deal.
When Thom and Sam split, “the band” became just Kiya and me. For the next five years we carried on with a rotation of players like Gregg Fulkerson (Blue Tears, Attraction 65 – R.I.P. 2009), Jon Durno (Roman Holliday, Samantha Fox), Tony Nagy (Mark Selby, Terry Clark), and Brian Bonhomme (Roman Holliday). It wasn’t until Mesas and Mandolins (1991) that there were other members who shared equally in our spoils and tragedies.
Our self-titled album was released on Arista Records in 1988. We toured the U.S. and Canada with The Smithereens, Level 42, Wang Chung, and a slew of others, appearing on MTV, Farm Aid IV, and every beer dive in between. In truth, we recorded the record twice, first in Nashville and again in LA. Only the LA sessions were released. The album sold a respectable 100,000 units, but it didn’t begin to recoup what was spent. Arista dropped us the week before Christmas. They said we had no Top 40 potential.
Rotten as that was, we were one of the lucky bands. Many on Arista’s roster never made it out of development, much less have a charting product and tour support. How well we sold, and are still remembered today, is testament that bad business can’t kill good music.
Dusting ourselves off, we signed with indie label Waldoxy Records (Malaco) and eventually left Nashville for Tahlequah, Oklahoma. After more touring and more drama, we regrouped for the last time with Okie native Steve Kirkpatrick, and Kentuckians Kevin Clark, and Tim Gilliam. We produced one record, Mesas and Mandolines, but the strain of constant touring, no money, bad food, shady business deals, inner-group squabbling (bands are just dysfunctional families of our choosing), and general unhappiness finally drove us apart, with me out the door first. That was August 1992. The rest, as they say, is history.
Patrick Holleran
I stumbled on this Web site while listening to some old Stealin’ Horses songs and perusing information about the band. I think that music stands up really, really well after more than 20 years.
Kopana
Thanks so much, Patrick! We really appreciate that. ~ Kopana
Larry Roy
I have one of those 100,000 albums that I bought new in 1987 and I love the entire album!!! I don’t know what boob said that Stealin’ Horses didn’t have Top 40 potential, but he’s probably sweeping floors somewhere today. “Turnaround”, “Walk Away”, and “Tangled” could have been huge with just a little support from the record label!! I can’t imagine all the great music that i’ll never hear because some bonehead doesn’t know a good song when he hears it! Thank you, Kopana for the aural delights on this album… IT’S AWESOME!
Kopana
Thank YOU Larry for your kindness and support. In the end, boobs never win 😉 And stay tuned, you just never know what might happen. You can’t keep a good horse down.
Keith
It’s a real shame the poor quality of music on the radio these days as a misperception of the music talent in the world today. It seams that nothing stays in it’s own genre and talentless musicians are given their success by certain influential people through name recognition. I just happened to be in a store many years ago around 1991 when I heard Mesas and Mandolins playing as demo music in the stereo department. I ejected the CD to find out who it was. A person from the store (I took to be the one the CD belonged to) came over and gave me a dirty look as he put the CD back in…I think he thought I was “stealin” his horses. Anyway, I scoured the earth and bought my own copy and was not disappointed. It just goes to show, there’s a lot of great talent out there…just most of the time it is a fortuitous discovery. Still hoping you horse bandits would make a comeback!
Kopana
How kind of you, Keith. Don’t give up hope – we’re not dead yet 😉 Stay tuned
Kiya Heartwood | National Womens Music Festival
[…] half of the folk duo Wishing Chair and the lead singer and songwriter for the Arista rock band Stealin Horses. Kiya’s has also written and performs a One Woman Theater Show- Short […]
Dave
I came across their music by way of 100.3 FM here in Los Angeles in the late 80s. They were the only alternative radio station here in LA with any clout that was playing good music that was not getting a lot of airplay. I loved the single TURNAROUND, and went right out and bought a CD from Stealin Horses. I remember hearing an interview with some of the band members at the time, they said the name referred to a Native American ritual by where some of the young tribe members had to either steal of go out and get a wild horse as a rite of passage, something like that. . Still have it the CD. timeless great music, still enjoy listening to it today. Great stuff.
Kopana
Thanks for your kind words, Dave! Keep rockin .
Matt Rose
Wow. Just saw ‘Stealin Horses’ band last night for the first time on Rogers State University (Oklahoma) program called Oklahoma Swingin Country. I didn’t see the whole program so trying to see if I can get a copy on DVD or find a link for it somewhere. Loved the music. You have a new fan.
Kopana
That’s awesome!!!!
Joe in Az
OMG! Just discovered this band when someone mentioned Pralltown Cafe. How did I come of age in Lexington and not know of this band? Moving away in 1986 didn’t help any. Oh well, my loss. Bit better late than never.
Kopana
awwww better late than never, eh?
John Kelly
I was one of the 100k that bought that album and still love it today. Any chance that “nashville recording” of the album is floating around? I would love to listen to it?
Kopana
awwww thanks. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending who you are), the Nashville was not released.
H Eri c Bagley
Ko you left out the name of that quirky interem guitarist in between Kelly and Kevin as some have described as…That virtuoso guy… He was really cute back then when he had been alot of hair before the creeping scourge of male pattern baldness took its toll .Hell I’m still pretty cute for an aging balding psychedellicaly leaning hippie guitarist.I treasure my time playing with you I gained alot of self knowledge from that experience and became truly competent and not so erratic almost like selling your soul to the devil but without the success clouse.. fucking lawyers.. actually I did get so fixated I’m probably chaneling Garcia when I pick up a guitar hours vanish it still fascinates me to play on that level ..anyway you are still dear to my heart being young in that era was such a blast
Kopana
OMGOMGOMG I love you SO much!!!!! How I have missed you. I think of you often.
Don Lindquist
Well, finally hooked up the cassette player that’s been sitting in the garage for 25 years. And first cassette played? You guessed it, Turnaround and all of the other great tunes on that album. First thing I thought of was how you guys would be huge in today’s country music “ scene“. Just throw in a steel guitar. Who knows? Maybe Nashville is ready for you guys now? Timing is everything.
Kopana
Wow! What an honor. Maybe we need to revisit the Nashville of 2021…. hmmmm…….
KENNITH L DOWDLE
Hi guys. This is Ken Dowdle. I met you guys in a little bar in Jackson Hole Wyoming. Good times.
But that was just the end of the story…. I drive from SLC Utah to New York City back in the 80s and met up with a man, you might wanna forget… He said he was your promoter and he gave me your cassette. I thought nothing of it at the time, but then when I got home and listened to I fucking loved it. Every song on that tape was out standing.
Many years passed and my friend and I went to Jackson Hole for a food drunk and guess who was introduced at the Mangy Moose…. It was you guys… Thank you so much for the good music, good memories and good times. There’s gonna be some rockin… Love and admiration for you all.
Kopana
You are AWESOME!
Ken Andrus
Hi Kopana, I met you guys at the Apple in Puryear Tn. Love the song Turn Around and was talking to you guys about the experience of recording it in L.A. (I have a recording studio) Still love that song.
Kopana
It’s good to hear from you again!
Mary Beth
Omg…you all got me through A LOT in my teens and early 20s…In middle adulthood I’ve tried searching for you with no luck until now. Just found the music again 💕 when I asked Syri to play band- Stealin Horses and googled and found you on this site. Where are you now? Are you still making music? Where did life take you?
Kopana
How kind of you to reach out. I’m glad to hear the music meant so much to you. As for Kiya and I, we’re in different states making music with different folks, but still playing. We’re both educated with professions in other fields (she’s a UU Minister in TX and I am an archivist/librarian/preservationist at the University of KY). We have talked for years about making a new record of material. It may still happen if we can get our lives to cooperate.
Dan Schmidgall
Tugboat in Steamboat and Mercury Cafe in Denver. Those were the days. Both gigs were great and I’m glad I got to be there for them. Stealin Horses reunion at some point? That’d be awesome.
Kopana
we’ve talked about it for years, but life….. maybe one day soon the stars will align and we can come together
Tony Patterson
My wife and I owned a little club in Chapel Hill, NC back in 85-86 (Rhythm Alley) and got your press packet, along with the cassette. One of my biggest regrets of the short time we owned the place is that we were never able to book you guys. But that cassette was in heavy rotation at our house for years (one of these days I need to digitize it!). I had “Boxed In” running through my head this morning and found your blog here. Happy Friday!
Kopana
Wow! We appreciate the good thoughts nevertheless. Boxed In – there’s a blast from the past. So glad you enjoy it still.
Matt LaPoint
Have both albums, listening now. Great music!
Kopana
Thanks, Matt!
Wizard of Roz @WizrdRoz
Miss Kopana!
I’ve always been a fan of this band since day 1 ! The only problem I have is I haven’t found a single photo of you on drums beside the video. I blame this on the male staff of your company back then in an attempt to hide that you ladys played your instruments. Any shot of you on drums from that time or even now would be amazing & an asset to my site ! 💙💪You are still & always will be a classic lady drummer! Happy Birthday!😎
Kopana
Yea, there aren’t many. Back before digital photography enabled good photos, there just wasn’t much to be done about it. Plus, drummers are just the hardest to photograph. Gotta lotta stuff in the way 😉
Rob Moore
After listening, I find myself thinking that it was just bad timing and you guy’s were ahead of your time. Then I think Hmmmm this is the exact music the world needs today.. Just my opinion.
Kopana
<3
RM
<3
Alla
And not a word about gorgeous and legendary Swiss guitarist Mandy Meyer. I love many bands he played with. Cheers from Ukraine.
Robert Berardi
Where All the Rivers Run has long been a road trip must for me!
John Harris
I think it would make a great movie road trip or montages background song!
Timothy
Sitting here listening to my vinyl copy of the (LA) Stealin Horses with NY playing harp! Haven’t given this a spin in a long time.
Still holds up so well today in 2023. I recall seeing you guys a few times here in Louisville, KY (@ Tewligans?) my memory a bit fuzzy all these
years later. Those were great times seeing you perform. Play on! Cheers
Kopana
Thanks for the note, Tim! Good times.
Quintin
Santa Cruz, CA – Couldn’t tell you where I picked up the LP, or how long I’ve had it. I make a point to always listen to something new to me and read the history as I’m listening. Very impressed, well done, and this is a keeper for me. Thank you for your music and words!
Kopana
So glad you enjoy it, Quintin. Keep rockin’!
John Harris
I heard Stealin’ Horses play at a small festival in Fort Smith, Arkansas around ’89 when y’all were playing out of Talequah. I bought the debut album there (on cassette). I lost it and have been trying to find it ever since. I finally found it on Spotify. It is great music. So glad to have it back!!
Kopana
YAY! Makes my heart happy to hear you still enjoy it.