Local band of the week

Steven Fiore talks about writing for Howie Day and moving from Boston to the Lowcountry

Local singer-songwriter Steven Fiore is an artist to watch. With a lucrative songwriting career taking off, as well as a brilliantly beautiful folk/pop sound all his own, Fiore is poised for the big time.

He's toured with renowned musicians such as Jay Clifford and Howie Day, and has written songs for a diverse array of artists, including Day and "American Idol" finalist Jason Castro.

Following a brief stint in Boston, Fiore relocated to the Lowcountry several months ago. In correlation with his upcoming July 3 gig with Owen Beverly, Fiore will be releasing a five-track EP "Country Music." The Summerville High School alum is also gearing up for the August release of his first full-length album, "Etiquette."

Preview caught up with Fiore and asked a few questions.

Q: How was touring with Jay Clifford?:

A: I did an acoustic tour with Jay in spring of 2008. It was really fun. We did 14 dates up and down the East Coast in two and a half weeks. He's a really great guy. You'll never get better advice from anyone other than Jay Clifford; really profound stuff.

Q: If you could grab a drink with anyone, who would it be?

A: Everyone would say an actor or whoever they revere as their hero, but I would rather keep them at the distance they're at. I wouldn't want to grab a cup of coffee with anyone because I see them as larger than life. I don't want to see them on a different level. Wait, nevermind, I would pick Jason Schwartzman. I feel like we would be best friends.

Q: How did your songwriting career pick up?

A: Howie Day was looking for songs, so I wrote "No Longer What You Require," which made the record. He flew me out to L.A. to write more songs. That's how I got into writing songs for other people.

I realized that I don't have to beat myself up on the road or tour, that I can write for other people and still have my own career. I can tour on my own time; I don't have to sign with someone and let them have their way for me.

So far I've been writing for Howie Day, Matt White, this girl Ruth Collins in Nashville, and Jason Castro, the "American Idol" kid with big dreads.

Q: What made you ditch Boston for Charleston?

A: I made the jump up there by myself to hide from things here for a while. To make a long story short, I just needed to get out of town. I had a lot of time to think by myself. Every day in Boston I would wake up, put The Flaming Lips on, walk to the park and feed the squirrels. The squirrels in Boston come up to you and eat right out of your hand. I did a tour with Howie Day and stopped in Charleston on the way down to Florida. Home made a lot more sense, so I left Boston and moved back here.