Steve Roberson releases sixth and final country music album

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DOWNEY — Downey’s realtor-by-day-country-singer-by-night has officially hung up his cowboy hat, having released his sixth and final album “Truth To Tell.”

A broker in the city since 1986, Steve Roberson has been a known face in Downey’s real estate community. However, from time to time, he’s kept himself busy with another venture: country music.

Having started playing guitar at the age of 14, Roberson says he had wanted to go through the process of making an album. His first opportunity came in 2006.

“My friend Karen – her name is Karen Tobin, she’s this famous songwriter that lives out in the Valley – her friend - his name is Brian Soucy, he’s an engineer – they helped me put the first CD together,” said Roberson. “I did several of Karen’s songs. It came out pretty good, it was called Radio Ranch.”

A year later, he and Tobin were back at it again producing his second album, called “Getting it Right.” Tobin would also assist in his third album, “Livin’ on a Dirt Road.”

By the time his fourth album started to come to be, Roberson was ready to get more involved in the creative process.

“Karen helped me with those songs and those CD’s,” said Roberson. “A little bit later, I went to Karen and I said, ‘Let me help you work with the process of writing the songs.’ So, Karen and I and another friend of ours – another singer / songwriter, his name is Paul Marshall – we started getting together and writing songs for the fourth CD. That CD is called ‘What Used to Be.’”

“On that CD I wrote a song for my grandson called ‘Four Year Old Cowboy,’ which is one of my favorites. Then, my granddaughter, his cousin Madi who is older was upset with me, so we also wrote a song called ‘Madi Maybe’ on that CD.”

Roberson worked on his fifth album, “It’s a Good World,” with Marshall. They would also work on Roberson’s final and most recent album “Truth To Tell” together, although the pandemic would extend the process to over two years. After writing together over Zoom calls, Roberson says that he would drive to Marshall’s home in Tujunga about once a week to record.

“Truth To Tell” consists of 14 tracks. Though the songs are that of Marshall and Roberson, Roberson says that he only provides the vocals on the recordings.

“I’ve been playing a long time, but I am not a very good musician,” said Roberson. “I can fake it – you know, when I play in the Kiwanis group, I can play the guitar – but the CD’s that we do, those guys and girls are all professionals, and I can’t play with them. They’re just exceptional musicians, so that’s out of my league.”

Now 71, Roberson’s age seems to be catching up to his musical career.

“I’m too old and the work’s too hard,” said Roberson. “It took two years to finish [Time To Tell] from writing it to recording it and driving to my friend’s studio for a period of time. Then once I record it, I’ve got to go back over and check it and a million other things.”

“I enjoy it a lot, but it’s very very time consuming.”

You may still see the occasional hometown performance, however, especially if you attend any of the city’s service club meetings.

“I won’t quit that; I enjoy that,” said Roberson.

Roberson’s CD’s can be found on most music platforms. Any profit that Roberson makes is put towards Easterseals, which provides services and advocacy to those with disabilities, including veterans.