Stephen Sylvester’s “Home To Alabama” Named February “Best Song Of The Month”

Stephen Sylvester, a country/folk singer/songwriter based in Fairhope, Alabama, has won the SongwriterUniverse “Best Song Of The Month” Contest for February, for his song, “Home To Alabama.” This song is the title cut on his recent album, Home To Alabama, which he released independently in August 2019.

“Home To Alabama” is a heartfelt, appealing song, that warmly recalls Sylvester’s life and experiences living in his hometown in Alabama. The song starts with a gentle, fairly simple arrangement, and then gradually builds into a full-band sound. “Home To Alabama” provides a fine showcase for Sylvester’s expressive lead vocals, and he contributes good harmonies in the choruses. This recording was expertly produced by Greg DeLuca, an artist & producer based in Mobile, AL.

Sylvester was born in Steubenville, Ohio, and then he moved with his family to Mobile when he was five. Notably, his father, Todd Sylvester, was an artist signed to a label deal affiliated with Sony.

When he was 10, Sylvester learned how to play drums, and when he was 16, he began playing acoustic guitar. “I fell in love with music,” he said. “I would play hours every day in my bedroom, and during high school I started to write songs.”

For college, Sylvester moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, where he attended St. Thomas University. After he graduated, he moved back to Alabama, and he realized how much he appreciated his life there. Soon after, he met his future wife.

“Although I would play coffeehouses during college, my music career didn’t really start until I moved back home and met my wife, Afton,” he explained. “We met and instantly fell in love. We got married, but a month later Afton was diagnosed with leukemia. Then when she was undergoing treatment, I saw the strength she had, and it led me to write music that was substantive, that I had something to say.”

Sylvester eventually formed a band, and they released an EP called Down To The Jordan four years ago. Then he decided to become a solo artist, and in 2019 he recorded his debut album, Home To Alabama. Besides the title cut, other key songs on the album are “Beer Ain’t Got Nothing On You,” “I Promise You” and “She’ll Be Alright.”

Currently, Sylvester has been playing shows in Alabama, and he’s been writing many new songs. “I’ve already written the songs for my next record,” he said. “Hopefully, I’ll be recording my new album later this year.”