December 14, 2008

A local musician who made a name for himself on the national stage passed away Tuesday night from cancer. While you may not know the name Steve Isham, you'll probably know the hit song this Pocatello High graduate co-wrote.

Steve Isham's humble beginnings in Pocatello eventually led him to the band Autograph and the hit song "Turn Up the Radio."

He passed away Tuesday night after fighting cancer.

Bill Isham/Steve's Brother: "We've always been a very, very close family so it's a very difficult thing to have happen."

One of Isham's good friends and former bandmates owns his own music store in Blackfoot. Kim Tweedy says the world has lost a caring man.

Kim Tweedy/Steve's Friend: "He's going to be sorely missed and the world's not as good a place as it used to be anymore with him gone."

Isham and Tweedy played in five bands together and kept in close contact through the years. Even when Steve came back to play gigs.

And they spent a lot of time on the road together.

Tweedy: "Steve and I every time we talked we always talked about the old times and all the great fun we had playing music together and rock n' roll in the early days."

After Autograph notched three gold records, the band broke up. But Steve continued with his music, recording and touring with Vince Neal of Motley Crue as well as composing commercial music.

This local boy made it big but never forgot his roots.

Steve Isham: "He absolutely loved Pocatello and always considered that his home and looked forward to coming back there some day."

Tweedy: "Just very talented. He ate, slept and breathed music and he was bound and determined to become significant in the world of music and he did it.

As Steve's brother mentioned Steve loved Pocatello and this is where he will be buried. There will be a graveside service on Monday at Restlawn Cemetery at noon.

Isham was 56.