Steve Marks

Steve Marks is a British guitarist, demonstrator, educator, and product specialist best known for his work with Blackstar Amplification. While he isn’t primarily known as a recording artist or touring guitarist, he’s become a familiar face to many guitarists through Blackstar’s official demo videos, livestreams, trade-show appearances, and educational content. He also plays in Gasoline & Matches.

Gasoline & Matches are a British country-rock duo from Birmingham, England, made up of Sally Rea (vocals, guitar) and Steve Marks (vocals, guitar). Since forming in 2015, they’ve become one of the UK’s best-known independent country acts, blending modern country with rock, Americana, and pop influences.

Some highlights of their career include:

• Award-winning duo: They are two-time British CMA Duo of the Year winners and have also received the Birmingham Music Award for Best Folk/Country Act.
• Breakthrough success: Their debut single “Fool’s Gold” reached No. 1 on the UK iTunes Country Chart and was featured by BBC Introducing, helping establish them on the UK country scene.
• Guitar-driven sound: Unlike many country acts that lean heavily on programmed production, Gasoline & Matches emphasize live instruments, dual guitars, close vocal harmonies, and catchy songwriting. Their music mixes country with southern rock, blues, and pop-rock influences.
• Touring: They’ve performed throughout the UK as well as in Nashville and Los Angeles, and have shared stages with artists including Phil Vassar, Lindsay Ell, Don McLean, Jessie J, and the Kaiser Chiefs.
• Songwriters’ rounds: Sally and Steve also host “Nashville Sounds in the Round,” a Birmingham-based songwriter series modeled after Nashville’s Bluebird Café, where artists perform songs and discuss the stories behind them.

Guitar style

If you’re interested specifically in the guitar work, Steve Marks is the primary lead guitarist. His style is rooted in classic rock and blues but adapted to contemporary country, featuring:

• melodic lead lines rather than flashy solos,
• tasteful country-inspired bends and double-stops,
• crunchy overdriven rhythm tones,
• clean, articulate picking that supports the vocal harmonies.

The duo’s chemistry comes from combining Steve’s guitar playing with Sally Rea’s expressive vocals and rhythm guitar.

Good songs to start with

If you want to get a feel for their music, these are good entry points:

• Fool’s Gold
• Patient Wolves
• Could’ve Been a Love Song
• Afraid to Fall
• Smiling Viper

If your interest is primarily in guitar playing, Steve Marks is worth checking out. He doesn’t aim for virtuoso-style solos; instead, he focuses on tasteful phrasing, strong tone, and playing that serves the song—qualities that have made him well regarded in the UK country and Americana scene.