Jacob Petersen

We all knew the day would eventually come that my boss through the past 15 years, Steve Miller, would throw in the towel. Due to unforeseen circumstances, after perhaps the most successful rock tour in the US of 2024, with a STELLAR triple bill of Def Leppard, Journey and The Steve Miller Band, Steve suddenly pulled the plug on the 2025 tour and put everything on hold until further notice.

While the band and the crew were hoping for the best, we’re now knee-deep in springtime, and I have had to make the difficult choice to begin actively looking for new work.

I never will forget Steve so FIRMLY stated to me at my audition back in 2011, shortly before I become a real member of his band. He said, “I want the performance SO GOOD, we could perform it under a damn light bulb, and the audience wouldn't notice.” Steve understood, very well, the benefits of production, but what he meant was that he did not want to hide behind it for a lesser performance.

Steve is old-school - from a time where often the actual PERFORMANCE was all there was and your only chance to win the crowd. So it was EVERYTHING to him, and he was just relentless about it. SO much so, it at times could be a real challenge not to take things personally, but this only made you tougher.😅

Steve was ALL about the delivery, and THAT will always stay with me. In today’s world of auto-tune, tracks, and now AI, Steve was 100% about being LIVE and REAL. Everything was in the moment, and you never truly knew what he was going to do in a song, even if it had been rehearsed the hour before preforming! “Take notes, in case he sticks to it!”, we often joked. THAT was a lesson I’m not sure a young musician can learn today, as almost everything is running through computers, triggers and tracks, and the old-school art of being impulsive and improvising is next to impossible anymore. You gotta have great ears and be on your toes, always! In Steve’s band, we all mastered that skill, and believe me, that was no small task - something I am extremely proud of for sure! A musician who couldn’t do this, wouldn’t have made it a weekend in Steve’s band, yet somehow, I made it 15 years…

Thank you Steve, it means the world ❤️

-Jacob

Well... just because you're now suddenly unemployed, that does NOT mean you have to feel like it😂 I turned the BIG FIVE-O yesterday...

Where did the time go? Been married forever it seems, happily too... and been a PROUD citizen for over a decade now, which took me 14 years to achieve, it was NOT handed to me, THAT is for sure. I love this country and I always wanted to do something that could be of some value here, not just to myself, but to others too. Wherever am I today, coming here as a young hopeful immigrant in 2000, risking it all and absolutely being a bit silly and dreaming too much, I have zero regrets. Not looking back...

I may be driving an Amazon truck next year, or on the big stage... who knows? Whatever it may be, I will accept it with gratefulness and appreciation just to be here in this country. Life have given me hard times, that's an understatement... but the reward and joy in my heart, it has been worth everything and I am thankful. To every citizen of the USA, thank you for taking me in and for giving me a chance to prove myself a decent citizen. It's an honor everyday to live besides you all, even if we don't agree on every subject. THIS is where my loyalty, service and love truly is.

THIS post right here... Check the picture and what I wrote just about a year ago. It hits home hard right now...

Some of you know, some of you may not... but Steve called us all yesterday with the sad news he decided to pull the plug on the 2025 tour. A tour that already had been pushed earlier this year. We were all SO ready to play for everyone and get back out there as a band, a family and hear how everyone was doing. This was going to be my 15th summer with The Steve Miller Band and I am turning 50 next month, so this one here was a particular important year for me.

I can't believe I made it 15 years as Steve's guitar player. A chair that's a lot harder to fill than it could appear. It's at times been brutal, because Steve is a perfectionist, he has INCREDIBLE ears and is VERY detail oriented. He's also a true original and has his own signature style to everything he does. So trying to even get remotely close to what he asks of you is no small task, and Steve is not the most patient man i know, ha ha ha... BUT, for the ones who can handle the fire, GREAT rewards will be harvested and I love Steve with all my heart and I see the artist that he truly is, so I always understood that a great reward comes with great responsibility and hard work. I know I didn't make it 15 years in if Steve wasn't happy and appreciated my everything, and I know that he is, because I gave it my very best, and Steve in his own way, made that best be even better than I ever imagined I was capable off. THAT is a true leader, and with all his quirks, he IS a true leader and inspiration. He pushed us all FAR beyond, and for that I am grateful.

We had a very nice conversation yesterday on the phone and I can hear that Steve's very tough decision to cancel this years tour is the right one for him. He's 82 in a few months, he needs to reflect and figure out what he want's the last years of playing to look like... He can't waste it and/or risk his health. IF he decides to keep some form of touring, it needs to be the RIGHT way.

As of now, none of us know... He may just stay home, record what he enjoys just for his love of music... he may do smaller local shows in NYC, playing blues and jazz which he enjoys very much. He may decide to just do spring/fall short tours where he can be in control of venues and gigs he enjoys to play... there could be a farewell tour... no one knows.... I think by winter, we'll all know more... I hope... But it really IS the realty that this could be the end to this chapter... that's reality.

One thing I DO know... Steve's voice and his guitar playing, is STILL in fantastic shape and there is a lot there yet to share with everyone. He may be at the final phase, 81 years old... but like his Godfather Les Paul and the blues man that he is, I personally don't see him being done full stop... Blues men don't do that when they're still playing on such a high level and are still very much in demand. In a new era of AI music and AI bands on the horizon, there equally is becoming a large demand for "real" music and that is what Steve still brings... No computers, no dancers, no flash... just a TIGHT band with tight vocals and a good time. People need that still, especially these times.

So yes... we all hope Steve will find a way and come around. He LOVES to play, he LOVES his band and crew, and I'm very sad not knowing when I will get a chance to see him again. But Steve needs to do what is right for him. We can't be out there playing shows for people if he is not feeling it's right. That would be cheating people and dishonest. So I respect Steve for his choice and I understand where he is coming from. When we take the stage, we are there for the people. It is ALL about them... and therefore, each show has to be honest and sincere. It's not a money thing for Steve. I hope everyone truly understands that. He wants to connect with you all, so he needs to feel good to do that. You will NEVER find the Steve Miller Band phoning it in. Never!!!

Let's all hope we get a chance to see you all in some form next year. For what it's worth, it's been one hell of a ride and I can't thank him enough. I'm grateful beyond belief and hopefully I'll be back out there sooner than later... if not with SMB, maybe another group... I'm certainly open to what the universe have to say...

In the meantime, to all of you, stay positive, tell your friends what they mean to you and do what you know needs to be done, do it today, and stop pushing it to next week or next month. TRUE perspective never really happens until it's too late to make changes.

Jacob

If you haven't yet... I'd love for you to check out an album I did during Covid...

https://open.spotify.com/album/1w1tTTctKjExpLuri3suW7?si=DoK4toTBR_mii1L404COaQ&nd=1&dlsi=c07c088d6c5e46f0

Cataclysmic Phenomenon The Pocket Thieves · Album · 2024 · 9 songs

Ok, during Covid, I started a new band, The Pocket Thieves ATX. I sought out new people. People I didn't know, people outside my usual crowd. I knew Shawn Pander(The singer), but he kinda joined last minute as he took an interest to my concept. We ended up writing an entire album in 3 months and recorded it... due to life's circumstances it ended up taking 2 years to mix, master and release... But, here it is, should anyone of you feel like showing us all some support.

We priced the album as low as possible because we just want people to have access to it and maybe share it if they dig it. There was no real reason for this band and this recording, other than turning a very bad and concerning time in this world, into a better time. For us, it was a huge mental release and there's a lot of love behind this band and this recording. It's not perfect, because finances were an issue during 2020/21 as you all know, but with the help of good friends and especially the help of my touring buddy, Darren Hurst, who took on the challenge to mix and fix this recording, it made it out to the world.

We're excited the album is finally here... we're also talking about getting the band back together, as we do have more tunes we wrote after this recording and we might even do another album. So who knows... we'll let the universe decide I think... Let's see how this next month turns out.

The Pocket Thieves on Apple Music Listen to music by The Pocket Thieves on Apple Music.

So this happened!!!

Steve Miller Band Signs With Independent Artist Group (Exclusive) - Pollstar News Concert touring mainstay Steve Miller Band has signed for agency representation with Independent Artist Group following "The Summer Stadium Tour" that saw the

I am STILL getting cloned profiles that pretends to be me in the comment sections. Check the actual profile as you can easily see it is not my profile.

DO NOT interact with these losers. Report them for me please!!! Thank you.

It’s been CRAZY this summer. To be fortunate to do a tour like this has absolutely been a mind blower, and it could very well be the last BIG tour I ever do, which makes all this a bit bittersweet. However, I am extremely grateful and am doing my very best to enjoy every moment out here as we’re now down to the final 3 shows.

This picture here, with my boss, the legendary Steve Miller. The guys at Def Leppard paying homage to Steve, it’s just heartwarming and fills me with joy and pride.

I’ve always said. The world is a cruel insensitive hard place…. But there ARE moments. This here is one of those and this entire summer has had more than its fair share too. So it all goes in the book for the future when I need a reminder that good things still happen and hard work will pay off.

Just a few jokers....

📸 Ryan Sebastyan

Again, the FAKE PROFILES are spamming MY page. Please report any profile pretending to be me. I will NEVER SELL YOU GUYS T-SHIRTS and that kinds of stuff.