American bluegrass singer and songwriter. Born September 20, 1962. Died August 18, 2020 in Knoxville, Tennessee at the age of 57.
A native of Cumberland Gap, Tennessee, Gulley grew up steeped in bluegrass and mountain gospel. In 2016, Received a Honorary Doctor of Music at Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN. His father Don was a renowned DJ, a founding member of the Pinnacle Mountain Boys and key figure at the Renfro Valley Barn Dance. Steve sang there as a youth and joined Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver in 1994. In 1996 he and fellow Quicksilver musicians Jim VanCleve and Barry Abernathy formed their own band, Mountain Heart. After five years and five albums, Gulley left to co-found the band Grasstowne with Alan Bibey and Phil Leadbetter. From 2014, Gulley helmed his own outfit, Steve Gulley & New Pinnacle.
Besides playing the Grand Ole Opry more than 90 times, Gulley also followed in the footsteps of his father as a radio host for WDVX in Knoxville. He was active in the arts in his home region and was co-owner of The Curve recording studio.