Steel, Grit and Grace is excited to welcome Dan Patton to the band’s lineup as rhythm guitarist, vocalist, and harmony singer. With deep roots in Indiana music, a lifetime of stage experience, and a faith-filled heart, Dan brings both polish and warmth to the band’s traditional country and bluegrass sound.

Music has been a thread through Dan’s entire life. “I grew up around it,” he said. “We always had guitars around the house.” His father, a talented semi-professional musician, played in church and at dance halls throughout northern Indiana. “Every week we’d get together with relatives to learn songs for Sunday,” Dan recalled. “Watching that — seeing everyone gathered around, singing — that’s what really hooked me.”

Those early experiences shaped not just his playing, but his sense of what music could do: bring people together, generation after generation. When he was about seventeen, Dan started taking guitar more seriously, developing the crisp rhythm and melodic flat-picking style that would later define his playing. “I’ve always loved Tony Rice’s lead work,” he said. “That sound — smooth, strong, and emotional — really influenced me.”

While music has been a lifelong passion, Dan’s professional life took him down another demanding path. “People are always surprised when they find out I managed an engineering company’s divisions for 21 years,” he said with a laugh. “It’s not what they expect from a guy with a guitar in his hands.” That attention to detail and ability to manage complex systems now serve him well on stage — where timing, communication, and teamwork are everything.

Over the years, Dan has played in a wide range of bands — from country and rock groups in his twenties to bluegrass and gospel collaborations with his father. “There were three or four different versions of my dad’s bands through the years,” he said. “He was definitely the leader. He just had that natural showman’s instinct.” His father’s band, The Country DJs, held a long-running house spot connected to WIFF Radio and played venues all over the region, including the legendary Buck Lake Ranch near Angola, Indiana. “I’ve got pictures of Dad playing there,” Dan said. “Big publicity shots with the white suits and the Buck Lake Ranch logo on the bottom.”

That connection to Buck Lake Ranch — a historic venue that hosted everyone from Roy Acuff to George Morgan — runs deep. “Dad even backed up Crystal Gayle once,” Dan added. “Whenever a major artist came through without their band, he and his guys would fill in. They did it right.”

Dan’s first gig as a frontman came a few years later, when he and a few friends played for his grandmother at a local Eagles lodge near Ligonier. “We ended up in the newspaper,” he said, grinning. “They called us Danny Patton’s rock band.” It was a small moment, but one that hinted at the musical versatility he’d carry through life. “I’ve been in so many groups since then I couldn’t count them all,” he said. “If there’s music happening, I’m probably nearby.”

When the pandemic hit, Dan put the guitar down. “During COVID, I just stopped,” he admitted. “We were all working from home with the engineering company, and I didn’t play at all for a couple years.” But after retiring in February 2024, the urge to make music again started to return. “I decided I needed something to keep me busy — something creative,” he said.

A local jam session changed everything. “I went to a jam just to get back into it,” he said. “That’s where I met the Steel, Grit and Grace guys. One thing led to another, and here we are.”

The chemistry was instant. “It just clicked,” Dan said. “We all get along, and the sound felt natural from the first practice.”

For Dan, joining Steel, Grit and Grace is about more than just filling a musical role. It’s about rediscovering the joy of playing with purpose. “I think there’s a lot of potential here,” he said. “If we decide we want to play a song, we can play it. Everyone brings talent and heart. There aren’t limitations. That’s exciting.”

Asked about his hopes for the band, Dan didn’t hesitate. “Artistic growth,” he said. “And satisfaction. Playing music that feels right — that’s what I’m after.” His dream venues reflect that spirit. “I’ve played at the Kendallville Bluegrass Festival before, and I’d love to get back on a festival stage like that. There’s nothing like playing under the open sky with people clapping along.”

Outside of music, Dan is a craftsman at heart — always fixing, building, or improving something around the house. But what truly grounds him is faith. “I believe in God,” he said quietly. “I go to church, and I put my faith in the Lord. A lot of people might not know that about me, but it’s central to who I am.” That shared foundation of faith makes him a natural fit for Steel, Grit and Grace, whose members often talk about how their beliefs shape their songs and friendships.

“Dan fits right in,” said fiddle player and lead vocalist Jess Miller. “He brings musical experience, a calm presence, and genuine kindness. Plus, his harmonies are beautiful.”

As the band continues building its repertoire of classic country and acoustic favorites — from Wabash Cannonball to It Takes One to Know One — Dan’s rhythm and vocals will be at the center of the sound. With Jess on fiddle and lead vocals, Tim Johnson on dobro, Cecil Fike on upright bass, and Jonathan Schwartz on mandolin and harmony, Steel, Grit and Grace is hitting its stride as a true ensemble.

Reflecting on his return to performing, Dan smiled. “It feels good,” he said. “When you play music that’s honest, you connect with people. That’s what I’ve always loved about this kind of music — it’s real.”

From his father’s Buck Lake Ranch days to his own nights on festival stages, Dan Patton’s story is part of Indiana’s musical fabric. And now, as he picks up his guitar with Steel, Grit and Grace, that fabric gets a little stronger — stitched together with rhythm, harmony, and grace.

Welcome aboard, Dan.

Steel, Grit and Grace is proud to welcome Cecil Fike as the newest member of the band. With decades of experience in bluegrass and traditional country music — and a deep family heritage that goes back to front-porch jams in rural Indiana — Cecil brings both heart and history to the group’s sound.

For Cecil, music has always been woven into family life. “Our dad played fiddle and guitar,” he said during a recent interview. “When we were growing up, people used to come to the house. He had cousins and friends who played instruments, so we were surrounded by music from the start.”

That early exposure laid the foundation for a lifetime of picking and plucking. Cecil’s brothers Harry and Darel began playing guitar and banjo when they were young, and one day Darel handed Cecil a small cello and told him to give it a try. “I said, ‘I can’t play that thing,’ and he goes, ‘Yes, you can.’ So I sat down and started messing around a little bit,” Cecil recalled with a laugh. “The first song I ever learned — on that cello — was Foggy Mountain Breakdown.”

Before long, Cecil picked up a bass that he spotted in a Kendallville music store. That purchase led to a long musical partnership with his brothers, forming the Fike Brothers Country Grass band. “We played together for about 15 or 20 years,” he said. “We started out doing a lot of Flatt & Scruggs material. That was the sound we built everything around.”

The band played throughout northeast Indiana during the 1980s and early 1990s, appearing at local festivals, jam sessions, and community events. They were regulars at the Maplewood Nature Center jams, where Cecil reconnected with his old classmate Mark Meyer and met Dan Elkins — forming a friendship that would eventually link Cecil to the next chapter of his musical journey.

Over the years, Cecil has lent his steady bass rhythm to several area groups, including a bluegrass outfit called Sleepy Hollow, which featured Dan Patton (now the rhythm guitarist for Steel, Grit and Grace), along with Dan’s father Gordon Patton, Kent Rowe, and Mike Bryant. “We just played together whenever we could,” Cecil said. “Some bands didn’t even have a name — we just loved to play.”

Like many lifelong musicians, Cecil has weathered both the joys and the losses that come with years of music-making. His brothers Darel and Dallas — both musicians in their own right — have passed away in recent years. “Darel was shy of his 60th birthday, and Dallas was just shy of 59,” he said quietly.

But Cecil carries their musical spirit with him every time he picks up his bass. “They’re the reason I started playing,” he said. “And they’re the reason I keep at it.”

When asked about joining Steel, Grit and Grace, Cecil said he’s looking forward to helping shape the group’s traditional-yet-fresh sound. “I know we need to tighten things up a little,” he said with a grin. “But that’s part of the fun. You’ve got to listen to what everyone’s doing — everybody puts their own little twist on things. You listen, fit in, and go from there.”

Cecil’s no stranger to jam sessions and bluegrass festivals, particularly the long-running Tri-State Bluegrass Festival in Kendallville, where he often joined his brother Harry for campground jams. “We’d go up there and just get together and play,” he said. “That’s what bluegrass is all about — people coming together, making music, and having fun.”

Although Cecil describes himself modestly as “just along for the ride,” his presence has already brought a powerful rhythm foundation to the band.

Off stage, Cecil has been married for 25 years to his wife, who once ran sound for his family band. 

Cecil’s musical taste leans toward the traditional — the kind of tunes his dad used to play. “Songs like Wabash Cannonball and Under the Double Eagle,” he said. “That’s what I grew up on. The newer stuff doesn’t hit me the same way. The bluegrass world’s kind of gone from traditional to what I call ‘newgrass.’ Some of it’s good, but some of it’s gone too far away from the roots.”

That commitment to tradition makes Cecil a perfect fit for Steel, Grit and Grace, a band rooted in classic country and early bluegrass but with an acoustic edge that resonates with today’s audiences. With Jess Miller on fiddle and vocals, Dan Patton on rhythm guitar, Jonathan Schwartz on mandolin, and Tim Johnson on dobro, Cecil’s bass will anchor the group’s sound as they continue performing across northeast Indiana.

When asked what he hopes the band will accomplish, Cecil paused. “I don’t know,” he said finally, with a smile that spoke volumes. “I’m just happy to play. As long as we’re having fun and making good music, that’s what matters.”

And that’s exactly the spirit Steel, Grit and Grace is built on — family, faith, and the joy of playing songs that last.

Welcome aboard, Cecil.

📅 Saturday, August 23, 2025
📍 Mendon, Michigan

We’re excited to share that Steel, Grit and Grace will make our official debut at the Wickey Family Music Barn in Mendon, Michigan. It’s the perfect place for our first full set — a welcoming stage where friends and families gather for a night of bluegrass, country, and Gospel music.

Our band was born out of jam sessions and friendship, and every member brings their own story:

Jonathan Schwartz (mandolin) has been playing for 30 years. Inspired by Ricky Skaggs and raised on both ’80s/’90s country and traditional bluegrass, Jonathan’s drive comes from his family’s love of music — and these days, his grandkids are his biggest audience.

Eric Stalter (guitar, banjo, “Professor”) is a Fort Wayne music teacher with a classical background, but his heart loves jam-band improvisation. He’s even played guitar on Broadway — yes, the one in New York City — busking with friends and earning enough to buy breakfast.

Bob Cogar (upright bass) grew up around porch-picking in West Virginia, worked in the coal mines, and spent decades as an over-the-road truck driver. He’s been in all 48 continental states, but these days he’s happiest holding down the bass line with friends.

Jess Miller (fiddle, vocals) is no stranger to the northeast Indiana bluegrass scene. Her family band was a regional favorite over 20 years ago, and she’s carried that spark for singing and fiddling ever since.

Tim Johnson (Dobro) has been playing for more than 30 years, influenced by Bashful Brother Oswald and Little Roy Wiggins. A longtime editor and church organist, Tim brings the “steel” sound that anchors the band’s name.

Together, we mix the steel of the Dobro, the grit of bluegrass and old-time country, and the grace of Gospel.

We can’t wait to take the stage at Wickey Barn on August 23. Join us for an evening of tradition, harmony, and a little bit of front-porch fun.

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