A straightforward rootsy singer/songwriter whose own music blends heartland rock with tuneful country, Steve Moakler first gained some attention as a professional writer. His first significant credit was "Riser," an anthemic number that Dierks Bentley took into Billboard's Country Airplay Top 40 in 2015, a success that led to more attention for his own recordings beginning with 2016's Steve Moakler: The EP and its accompanying single "Suitcase." That sturdy, no-frills composition established the blueprint for Moakler's career, allowing him to follow the straight and narrow path -- as he did on 2017's Steel Town -- or subtly adapt to the times, which he did with the lite-R&B undertones on 2022's Make a Little Room.