I knew Steven Fromholz was a singer, but I wanted to see his biography because of a late-eighties film called Positive ID. His performance left such an impression that, even now, I remember him while forgetting countless other films. There was something special about him.
This film covers his entire life, from his small-town upbringing in Kopperl, Texas, to his passing in 2014 in Eldorado, Texas. After a five-year stint in the Navy during the Vietnam War, he and the service agreed to split following what seemed like a breakdown on his part. With an honorable discharge, he soon married, had a daughter, and began his career as a singer-songwriter. Over the years, he achieved various levels of success, but never reached the
“Willie Nelson” level, one friend thought it was because Steven picked a record producer with no experience. For a while, he even tried rock and roll, but he didn’t want to be a backup and wanted to sing the songs he wrote. He also dabbled in playwriting, poetry, and acting. After trying both coasts, he settled in Austin and became part of the wave here, made famous nationwide by Austin City Limits.
His second wife described him as a ladies’ man and said they had an open marriage, which worked for them. He had little contact with his first daughter after her mother moved to Alaska; years later, he improved his relationship with his second daughter.
His contemporaries spoke well of him, and the film features a plethora of famous names sharing memories and stories of Steven. Although he was slowed down by a stroke, he managed to find happiness in his final years. Director Austin Sayre masterfully captures both the highs and lows of the singer’s life, and I’m glad I got to know him better.