NEWS
Strait South's Steve Fortin Nominated for a Grammy Award!
Feb 8, 2009



Steve Fortin is a Native of Welland Ontario Canada, As a young boy his talent was discovered by Ronnie Prophet, and he was invited to tour with Ronnie along with Marie Bottrell at the young age of fourteen.
​
Today, Steve is an independent Nashville recording artist; he also has made appearances with Lynn Dee and Emmit Jarvis. In addition, Steve has appeared with the “Time Jumpers”, a Nashville Tennessee super group that includes the very elite musical talent that Nashville has to offer. Its members include Vince Gill, and a cast of supporting musicians who work regularly with Jeannie Sealy, Jimmy C. Newman, and Riders in the Sky. The members of the “Time Jumpers” are also the most “in demand” recording session musicians in Nashville today. Steve has most recently been named as a Grammy Nominee for being part of the Walter Ostanek band.
​
Steve Fortin is also well known for his elite musical talent in the Toasted Western Swing Band that originated in Niagara Falls Ontario. The Toasted Western Swing Band was formed as a way for its members to have fun playing music that meant something to them, and to engage a creative outlet to express themselves musically. As such, the Toasted Western Swing Band made its first public performance at the Best Western Cairn Croft Hotel in Niagara Falls Canada on June 14, 2007, and they were the regular house band for over for 47 straight weeks cosecutively!
​
The band performs on a regular basis at the Fort Erie Race Track/Casino in Fort Erie Ontario Canada, and also performs at Festivals, Fairs, and Corporate Events. The Toasted Western Swing Band will also be performing live and in concert for the second time at the prestigious "Havelock Jamboree", the largest Country Music Festival in Canada. The Toasted Western Swing Band will be joined by some of the world's greatest musicians and performers such as Martina McBride, Billy Currington, and Shanendoah, Pam Tillis, Lorrie Morgan, Del McCoury, Tommy Hunter, Joe Nichols and many more.
​
This fabulous tribute to the legends of Texas Swing Music consists of independent Nashville recording artist Steve Fortin (lead and backup vocals, electric and acoustic guitar), three-time Grammy Award and winner and 21-time nominee Walter Ostanek (accordion) and Grammy Award Winning participant Steve Kostyk (electric guitar, lead and backup vocals), one of Canada’s foremost journeyman steel guitar players, P. Albert Fortney (who has performed with many top artists), journeyman bassist Bill Cooper (until now Canada’s best kept secret in the music community), Mike McDowell on drums, lead and backup vocals, (formerly of Rick Rose Band, Oksana, and McRhea), and Stan Drobnich on accordion (formerly of "One Night Stan" and "The big squeeze"). The Toasted Western Swing Band’s All-Star lineup is augmented by the vocal and fiddle styles of Winston James, an icon in Country Music in Canada.
​
The Toasted Western Swing Band is an ideal choice for Theater appearances, dinner shows, festivals, corporate events and clubs. Regardless of where they perform, they delight in the opportunity to share with the audience and fans this uniquely appealing style of music known as “Western Swing”. The Toasted Western Swing Band will be releasing their first CD entitled “Roots 66″ on June 15, 2009, a collaborative effort with Walter Ostanek . The Cd also features guest appearances by Canadian fiddle gurus Darren Walters and Brian Sklar, as well as the insatiable fiddle stylings of Paul Kramer (Sammy Kershaw and formerly of Travis Tritt).
​
