Oct 144 min read

The heartwarming story behind the song 'Home' by Pete Lacey & Alison Steele

Updated: Oct 19

Pinecones and fire

Dispursed by a force of nature

Similar to pinecones that need fire to open up and spread their seeds, this song, ‘Home’ also burgeoned forth from fire - in a round about way.

In August 2020, numerous lightning strikes sparked multiple fires in the Santa Cruz Mountains of Northern California. These fires quickly merged into the massive CZU Complex Lightning Fire, which ravaged 85,000 acres, destroyed a thousand homes, and altered the landscape and lives of our valley's residents. Entire towns were displaced for weeks. There was heartache and unknowns. While our friends and neighbors were all going through it, we still felt isolated in our places of refuge, unsure if our valley and homes would survive, or if we would reunite. Dispursed by a force of nature.

The Good Life

Alison’s lyrics spun a single common thread that connected all of us

While evacuated in our hotel in Santa Cruz, my wife, Carol and I happened upon a video of local songstress, Alison Steele. She, in her hotel room, performed ‘The Good Life’, a newly inspired song about our mountain community and what we were experiencing while reminding us of what we have. With her eyes closed and soft picked guitar she sings the opening words “Take me home back to my mountain.” At that moment Alison’s lyrics spun a single common thread that connected all of us. We just wanted to be home. We weren’t alone. Strength, hope, family will get us through. We felt emotionally connected.

That was also the first time I really noticed Alison Steele’s songwriting prowess and one of a kind voice. Alison paints vivid imagery with lyrics and moving pictures with her singing and mesmerizing clawhammer banjo. Her words have the power to transport you to the places she sings about. I knew at that time that I really wanted to work with Alison but the only obstacles were - I didn’t have a song and I hadn’t met her yet.

Pass the shampoo

A few years had passed and as many great song ideas surface between shampooing and conditioning in the shower, the opening lyric and chorus of ‘Home’ suddenly emerged and echoed against the bathroom tile and I immediately harkened back to Alison’s video. The essence of my lyric was inspired by Alison’s ‘The Good Life’, but from an uplifting recovery perspective of where we are as a community now. Burn scars aren’t as triggering and the forest and people are healing. We’ve gotten that good life feeling back. The pinecone has opened. I knew I wanted to grow this song ‘Home’ with Alison Steele.

The Junction

Yet another year goes by and as all good things progress in their own timeline, Alison and I finally got around to talking. In June 2024, we sat in Junction Park in our town of Boulder Creek; the old railroad junction from the logging days. It’s the place where the Bear Creek, Boulder Creek and San Lorenzo River join and the town folk gather; the heart of town. I shared a demo with Alison, and as she tapped her toe, it just felt perfect, and soon she was fully on board. I was stoked. So began our own musical junction and the writing process. (Fun Fact: Junction Park and our rivers made it into the lyrics.)

4 minutes 14 seconds

Our love for this community shines through in every word, every note

Like an iceberg, the unseen ballast beneath the surface is much greater than above. The listener hears 4 minutes 14 beautiful seconds of ‘Home’ but anchored beneath this fun lively song about the resilient town and people of Boulder Creek, California were dozens of hours of writing, demos, heart to hearts, rewriting, honing, recording, tacos, mixing...and beneath that Alison and I have spent decades perfecting our craft. Our hearts are thrown into this song ‘Home’ which truly captures the essence of our town. The lyrics draw parallels and narrate the story of our own lives in this place we cherish deeply. This song is a reflection of who we are, and our love for this community shines through in every word, every note.

I could not have written something so authentic if it weren’t for Alison Steele. I’ve learned from her immensely. Her Virginia roots shape the sincerity of her music. She writes and sings with purpose and believes every word must hold true. Through her music, she vividly depicts her life and fully embodies her art. I was a fan for a long time but now after having bonded in writing this song together, I am in awe of her pure and genuine talent. You should too!