In the cutthroat world of the music industry, it can be extremely difficult for musicians to survive the critical audiences who make their music soar or completely flop. Singer, songwriter and musician Steve Means is overcoming these obstacles and making his way to success in the grueling music world.

This should come as no surprise to anyone who has listened to Means’ music, which is easy to listen to and comes across with John Mayer-like vocals and sound with an edge of pop and soul. This 22-year-old started out as a singer in a group of four musicians out of Cincinnati, OH, and built a strong fan base at Ohio State.  Means eventually broke away from the group, relocated to Nashville, TN, and is now making it on his own as a solo artist.

“As a young singer his music is fresh and uplifting, including a variety of songs that are acoustic, pop and soul,” said Sophomore Communication Studies and CAB Coffeehouse Committee Member Michelle Tanner.

His music has been featured on MTV shows such as The Real World and Newport Harbor, allowing him to reach a much wider audience with his music.

Recently, Means toured the U.S., performing at colleges and universities across the country. The Campus Activities Board took advantage of Means’ talent and arranged for him to perform at Gustavus on Wednesday, March 4, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. in the Courtyard Café.

“[Means] sings the kind of songs that get stuck in your head and has a knack for writing a great song. His songs aren’t just ‘acoustic’; some have a rock feel while others have a bluesy feel, which is perfect for the Courtyard Café setting,” said Junior English Major and CAB Coffeehouse Committee Member Kady Johnson.

This performance is a part of CAB’s Coffeehouse. Each week CAB sponsors a  performances free of charge for Gustavus students. CAB tries to create a calm, cool and collective atmosphere for students to enjoy.

“Coffeehouse provides an intimate setting for people to come to with friends and listen to great music over a cup of coffee. It’s a great alternative to the large-scale mainstream concert scene,” said First-year CAB Coffeehouse Committee Member Chris Duhaime.

CAB works with the booking agency Wally’s World of Entertainment to find performers and musicians to bring to Gustavus. “They have always been great people to work with who provide outstanding performers,” said Sophomore Communication Studies Major and Coffeehouse Executive for CAB Lacey Squier.

Squier and the other members of the Coffeehouse Committee chose Means to perform based on the extra edge his music had, which made him stand out from the coffeehouse sound people are accustomed to hearing. With his new CD Now or Never, Means is bound to continue building his fan base across the country.

To hear Means’ music before his performance at Gustavus next week, you can check out his myspace at www.myspace.com/stevemeans or pick up a copy of Coffeehouse’s new Spring 2009 CD Sampler, which is available at all Coffeehouse per