Musician Steve Meador goes from cotton fields to Carnegie Hall to West Texas Walk of Fame
Jazz-fusion band Passenger with now-Marble Falls resident Steve Meador (left and inset) on drums, Bill Ginn on keyboards, Mitch Watkins on guitar, Paul Ostermayer on saxophone, and Roscoe Beck on bass guitar. The band toured with Leonard Cohen from 1979-80. Meador of Marble Falls toured an extra 13 years as Cohen’s drummer. Photo courtesy of Steve Meador
Rhythm is the heartbeat of a song, and for Marble Falls resident Steve Meador, rhythm has been the pulse of a life spent behind the drums. The Slaton native enjoyed a career spanning decades and crossing multiple genres and continents. On Oct. 3, he was inducted into the West Texas Walk of Fame in Lubbock, joining the likes of Buddy Holly, Waylon Jennings, Joe Ely, Gary P. Nunn, and Tanya Tucker.
“It’s an honor,” Meador said of his induction. “It’s real special for me because so many of the people I know and worked with are in there already, so I’m among friends.”
Throughout his career, the seasoned drummer shared stages with iconic artists and contributed to the cultural fabric of West Texas, a region he proudly calls home.
Meador’s musical journey began on a cotton farm in Lynn County, where he took piano lessons as a child before finding his true calling on drums in middle school. As a member of the high school marching band, his natural talent quickly became apparent, and he competed in UIL state solo and ensemble contests.
At the University of Texas at Austin, he majored in music theory and composition and immersed himself in the vibrant local music scene.
“This was Austin in the ’70s, and I met a lot of good, talented people and was able to play in a lot of bands,” Meador said. “In some of the bands, everybody in the band was better than I was, which is the ideal situation because, that way, I wasn’t bored. I was always getting challenged every day. So, I was real fortunate in falling in with the right crowd.”
During his time in Austin, Meador co-founded jazz-fusion band Passenger, originally known as the James Polk Quintet, which was named Best Jazz Performing Band at the 1981-82 and 1982-83 Austin Music Awards.
In the 1970s, a chance meeting at a Los Angeles jazz club, the Lighthouse, led to a 14-year partnership with musical legend Leonard Cohen. From 1979 to 1993, Meador toured with the singer-songwriter, performing in some of the world’s most iconic venues, such as Carnegie Hall in New York City, the Royal Albert Hall in London, and the Sydney Opera House in Australia. His TV performances include spots on the “Jay Leno Show” and “Austin City Limits.”
Despite the grandeur of these stages, Meador remained an unwavering performer.
“I do get nervous getting ready to play,” he said, “but I don’t get nervous playing. Once I’m up there, I know what I’m doing.”
Artist collaborations have included Carole King, Joe Ely, George Straight, and the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra. Looking back at all of his performances, Meador recalled some of his favorites, including Carnegie Hall and Lubbock’s Cactus Theater.
“Performing at Carnegie Hall with Leonard (Cohen) was a memorable circumstance,” he said. “You know, that’s the place you dream of getting to perform, and you’re in pretty rare company. There’s also been some pretty memorable performances at the Cactus Theater with young entertainers going on stage and really blowing you away with their talent.”
Although his presence was a significant part of the West Texas music scene, his impact went beyond that. Meador was instrumental in revitalizing Lubbock’s Depot District and helping establish the Buddy Holly Center and the Cactus Theater, both critical to West Texas’ musical heritage.
“I helped a friend, Don Caldwell, and his supporters renovate that whole block of buildings,” Meador said of the Depot District. “Don remodeled this old movie theater; now, they call it the Cactus Theater. I took care of cleaning out all those old warehouses and putting in electricity and plumbing and all the stuff they needed.”
Born and reared in West Texas, Meador built a legacy and a life there, even having left it a few times. In 1974, he met his wife, Kathy, at the iconic Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin. The couple married two years later and eventually returned to West Texas to raise their four children while Meador continued cultivating his musical career. Today, they live in Marble Falls and are proud grandparents to 10 grandchildren.
For Meador, the induction into the West Texas Walk of Fame is a personal milestone and a tribute to the community that shaped him. Coming from a small town in West Texas represents a full-circle moment, acknowledging his influence and contributions to the region’s rich musical history.
“It’s going to be especially important to my kids,” he said. “You know, it’s someplace where they can take my grandkids and say, ‘That’s your grandpa.’”
At the induction ceremony, Meador honored his recently deceased friend Caldwell, a key figure in West Texas music. In his speech, he expressed his gratitude for the support he’s received throughout his career. Meador’s work as both a musician and a community leader in West Texas has cemented his place on the Walk of Fame, ensuring the music he helped create will continue to resonate for generations.