Homegrown duo Steel Blossoms opening for Alan Jackson on tour
Hayley Prosser and Sara Zebley, better known as Steel Blossoms, is spending time this year as an opening act for Alan Jackson鈥檚 tour. The group, which regularly plays at Jackson鈥檚 Nashville bar, was one of thee groups selected to play on the tour.
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Steel Blossoms, featuring Sara Zebley and Hayley Prosser, plays a number of bars and honkytonks in Nashville, along with other venues across the country. Earlier this year, the group got the opportunity to play as an opening act for Alan Jackson鈥檚 tour. The tour continues into the fall.
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Steel Blossoms, the duo of Sara Zebley of Dawson and Hayley Prosser of Jefferson Hills, who regular play at AJ鈥檚 Good Time Bar, a club owned by Alan Jackson in Nashville, were selected to be an opening act on Jackson鈥檚 2020 Tour.
A best-selling country artist who has sold more than 60 million albums, Alan Jackson 鈥渞emembers when鈥� he was a budding new country artist just starting out in the business. Thirty years later, Jackson is committed to helping new artists break into the business by giving them opportunities to play at his Nashville bar, and for a few lucky ones, as an opening act on his tour.
Steel Blossoms, a homegrown duo born right here in Fayette County, was recently selected to open for Jackson on his 2020 tour, which began on Jan. 10 in Cincinnati. Steel Blossoms also played on Jan. 11 in Columbia, S.C. and are scheduled to play on Oct. 2 in Salt Lake City and Oct. 3 in Denver.
Steel Blossoms is the musical collaboration of Sara Zebley, 30, of Dawson and Hayley Prosser, 28, of Jefferson Hills. Both former elementary school teachers, they met by chance at a festival, where Zebley was playing with her group, Girlz in Black Hats, a band she founded 15 years ago.
Zebley and Prosser had an instant chemistry.
鈥淚 used to see her in passing, but when we finally got to sing together, there was an instant connection,鈥� she added.
鈥淚 was just doing my own thing,鈥� said Prosser. 鈥淚 was a fill-in singer. When we sang together, it was very comfortable. We had so much fun.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檝e enjoyed 9 years of singing together,鈥� added Zebley, who recalls the early days with fondness.
They discovered they both had a passion to write and perform relatable songs about real life and real challenges, about people they鈥檝e met and experiences they鈥檝e endured, all with a refreshing sense of humor, optimism and occasional, satisfying sarcasm. Add to the mix a clever style of turning a phrase and weaving a tale, Steel Blossoms music is emphasized by musicianship and skilled harmonies.
Along the way, Zebley and Prosser cultivated their relationship by traveling the country collecting fans one venue, one show at a time. Their debut EP, Year Number One was released in 2015, followed by a full-length album, Country Enough, one year later. Their sound caught the ear of multi-award-winning songwriter, Jerry Sally, who had become Creative and A&R Director of Nashville鈥檚 newest Americana label. Billy Jam Records. In early 2019, Steel Blossoms became the first act signed to the emerging label, according to the group鈥檚 website.
Five years ago, after they made their way to Nashville, they started playing honky tonk row 鈥� a sort of Nashville version of Broadway. They became regulars at several bars, concert venues and festivals across the U.S., sharing the stage with well-known artists like Rhonda Vincent, Tracey Lawrence and Collin Raye. Eventually, they started playing A.J.鈥檚 Good Time Bar, a bar owned by Jackson. That put them in position for this very exciting opportunity.
鈥淗e has a tradition of picking someone who plays at his bar,鈥� said Zebley.
Jackson selected three openers to play the tour and Steel Blossoms is one of the three.
Zebley admitted when they got the call, she couldn鈥檛 believe it.
鈥淲hen they first called us, I asked 鈥楢re you sure you want us?'鈥�
In the meantime, the duo said they are hoping to build off this big tour and are still booking shows. Steel Blossoms were scheduled to play at Luke鈥檚 Choir 2020 Jamboree, a fundraiser for the Heart Institue at Children鈥檚 Hospital of Pittsburgh, on March 21 at the Brownfield Community Center in Dawson in honor of Zebley鈥檚 nephew who had a heart issue and was treated at the hospital. Unfortunately, the benefit has been postponed due to the Coronavirus health crisis, but organizers say it will be rescheduled.
As Zebley and Prosser reflect, they have some advice to anyone back in their hometowns that have big dreams like they did.
鈥淒on鈥檛 settle. If you think in the future you can have something, go for it,鈥� Zebley said. 鈥淣ot even just music 鈥� even just in life in general.鈥�