Oli Steadman
British-South African multi-instrumentalist
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Oliver "Oli" Steadman is a British-South African[1][2] multi-instrumentalist.
Oliver Steadman | |
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| Born | 3 November 1987 Johannesburg, South Africa |
Stornoway
Steadman is a founding member of Oxford band[3][4] Stornoway,[5][6] and through them is a campaigner with many nature conservation trusts including HIWWT, RSPB,[7][8][9] Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust,[10] Woodland Trust,[11] and British Trust for Ornithology.[12] Steadman hosts the band's Conservation Conversations podcast[13] (whose guests[14] have included Angeline Morrison, Bella Hardy, Rachel Sermanni, Jim Moray, David Ford, Chris Leslie, Yijia Tu, and Arthur Jeffes).[15] He is a patron of Sam Lee's Singing With Nightingales[16] and a regular fundraiser for conservation projects[17] including around the Great North Wood.[18][19]
365 Days Of Folk
In 2024 Steadman started 365 Days Of Folk,[20][21] a spin-off of Jon Boden's A Folk Song A Day,[22] featuring daily recordings of traditional music.[23] Having completed an entire year of learning & recording a folk song daily the project appears to be continuing indefinitely (as of April 2026 with the publication of songs #460 & above)[24][25][26] and now tours major folk events such as Manchester Folk Festival.[27]
Other projects
Steadman has worked as a studio producer for artists including Nick Cope,[28][29] and as composer / musical director at the Stephen Joseph Theatre,[30][31][32] also serving as manager to many artists,[33] including Willie J Healey,[34] The People Versus,[35] Blue Bayou,[36] and Balloon Ascents / NEVERLND.[37]
In 2013 Steadman founded Count Drachma,[38][39] performing at festivals from WOMAD[40] to WOOD to Festival N°6, co-headlining London's Southbank Centre with the Mahotella Queens,[41] and filming a documentary with The Guardian's Education channel.[42] It was a vehicle for importing the isicathamiya and mbaqanga sounds of South Africa to UK audiences.[43]
In 2014 Steadman founded music-tech startup Tigmus,[44][45] with Stornoway's touring trumpet player Thomas E Hodgson.[46][47]
Since 2015 Steadman has been endorsed by Aria Bass Guitars,[48][49] touring with 2x basses Detroit 313-DR & Detroit 313-BB, and recording with FEB-F2/FL or a Mexican Fender Jazz Bass. All are strung with roundwound strings except the Fender, on which Steadman has played with exclusively flatwound strings since 2009.[50]
In 2024 Steadman established "Traildance".[51]
In 2025 Steadman as a Friend of Blythe Hill Fields[52] accepted Gold and Category Winner awards on their behalf[53] following their creation of a wildlife garden, tiny forest, cherry orchard, and newly dug pond & swales.[54]