Stuart Rolfe
From an early age, music became a big part of my life.
I was first introduced to its addictiveness at only 8 years old during my years at boarding school.
The school had an expectation for all students to learn to play the piano.
However, the rebellious young boy in me demanded to learn the guitar instead.
Whilst this wasn’t the romantic introduction many will have encountered it’s a testimony to my character and the journey I have taken with music.
As a spotty teenager I went to work for a company called Damage Management, here I was available to do anything asked of me.
It wasn’t pretty or glamourous, but it gave me a peek into the music industry and the opportunity to meet the incredible members of Dire Straits and forge a friendship with Jack Sonni and of course Mark Knopfler.
Growing up in the pub trade, swerved my decision to take a degree in catering and hotel hospitality and for a while this trade was my life.
I successfully managed, built, and owned pubs and restaurants.
Music still held a special place in my heart & I continued to strum the strings on my old guitar but at the time my life had little room for this passion.
It’s at this time I met my first wife and we had my first beautiful daughter. So, whilst I led my guitar down for a while my arms were kept full of the love of my family.
Life had a few bumps in the road and whilst I enjoyed the hospitality sector, it was time to move on.
For a while, I found my calling and joined the Diplomatic Services for our gracious Majesty the Queen.
But after several years, the strings of my heart knew I was destined to play a different tune.
All of this was peppered with various moments in my life, such as my battle with evil itself leukaemia in 2009-2014.
Quickly followed by a minor stroke later in 2014 which denied me of any more sweeping solos.
The final nail came in 2017 but we will leave that there in a tin at a crossroads.
Selling your soul is easy, but getting it back, well it’s not at the bottom of a bottle of Jack.
A life full of living has blessed me with my 5 wonderful children; three have taken on the world by storm whilst my two youngest bring me joy and inspiration every day.
They have given me the encouragement and drive to finally take the bull by the horns and dive headfirst into my passion.
In 2016 fate turned in my favour and saw me successfully audition for Country2Country.
It was here I had the fantastic opportunity to work with artist from Tim McGraw, Faith Hill and Dancehall Doctors to Hicktown giant Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert and the Pistol Annies- not forgetting the home grown great Mark Knopfler.
This led to me working with both BMLG and Sony Nashville UK as a session guitarist until March 2020 unlike before where I was bouncing around the session circuit.
It was during this time; I met a very strange but wonderful chap Gareth Nugent.
He gave me encouragement to stop sitting in the shadows of others, to stand up and be noticed.
So, I did just that, recording a new EP during lockdown an experience that will always be with me to bumbling my way round the digital media of what is now the music industry.
Music is my passion, my past, present and future.
The way I look at life; no matter how many mountains we must climb, always remember the good times.
Be positive, be attentive and ride life with style and dignity.
Remembering to turn around and offer your hand to the next guy behind you.
Prior to lockdown I was able to meet a brilliant musician, in the form of Tyler Spicer.
Tyler then took the helm at NAM studios in Trowbridge, Wiltshire.
This is where a beautiful relationship blossomed.
I now record all our music at NAM and with Tyler’s constant strive of perfection and professionalism, the music has never sounded better.
Tyler manages to glue everything together in such a way, I have never seen before.
And I have seen may Engineers/Producers in my past.
It was at Nam where I met the fabulous drum virtuoso Robert Brian, with his insane skills to conjure up all sorts of rhythms and beats, from a simple explanation of where I want the song to go.
Then came the icing on the cake, Dylan Smith, not only does this man own the most strats I have ever seen in one place, but he knows every single note, and with some voodoo finds notes that shouldn’t be there.
He is undoubtedly a guitar maestro.
Taking to the front of the stage after 20 years hiding in the back seat was frightening, until I met a fantastic vocal coach Becky Lawrence.
The encouragement gained from her knowledge and love of music has given me the tools to strive forward.
We have collaborated on a duet, creating a powerful and meaningful song, beyond all imagination.
I am very humble to find myself amongst these fabulous musicians, songwriters and engineer/producer.
These form the base of the Daylight Stealers.
I will never forget the words of a great person, my idol: “We haven’t made it, we’re not great but we’re going to be great and they will remember us.
We will all make memories together out there on the stage” Garth Brooks.
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