Steve Smith & The Nakeds Bring 53 Years of Rhode Island R&B to the Charlestown Rathskeller (cancelled)

NOTE: This event has been cancelled due to the nor’easter.

Steve Smith & The Nakeds Bring 53 Years of Rhode Island R&B to the Charlestown Rathskeller Saturday, Sept. 26, when one of the state’s longest-running bands takes over the Rathskeller’s Down Back stage for three hours of horns, rock & roll, soul and rhythm & blues.

The 10-piece band performs from 8 to 11 p.m., bringing more than half a century of Rhode Island music history to the wooded outdoor venue in Charlestown. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door.

On the Road Since 1973

Steve Smith & The Nakeds trace their beginnings to 1973, when the group started performing as Naked Truth.

More than five decades later, this is still a big band in the literal sense. The current lineup combines a four-piece rhythm section with five horns and Steve Smith on lead vocals and harmonica.

That horn section is fundamental to the band’s identity. Saxophones, trumpet and trombone give the group the punch of classic American soul and R&B rather than the leaner sound of a typical rock cover band.

Over the years, The Nakeds have played thousands of shows, moving from the New England college and club circuit to major stages while building the kind of regional following that allows a band to keep working for more than 50 years.

The Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame inducted Steve Smith & The Nakeds in 2013.

A Connection to the Big Man

One particularly notable chapter in the band’s history came through Clarence Clemons.

Best known as the saxophonist whose larger-than-life presence and sound became inseparable from Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, Clemons also performed and recorded with Steve Smith & The Nakeds.

The relationship went well beyond a one-night guest appearance. Clemons toured with the group when his Springsteen schedule allowed, while Clemons and E Street Band guitarist Nils Lofgren contributed material to the Nakeds’ Never Say Never album.

It became one of several connections between a homegrown Rhode Island band and a much larger national music world.

“I’m Huge” Finds a Second Life

The band’s longevity has also produced some unexpected twists.

Steve Smith & The Nakeds recorded the tongue-in-cheek original “I’m Huge (And The Babes Go Wild)” years before the song suddenly reached an entirely new audience when it appeared on Family Guy in 2008.

The exposure revived interest in the song and helped introduce a band formed in the early 1970s to listeners who weren’t alive for much of its original run.

The Nakeds’ music has also appeared in movies, while the band’s career has included national television appearances and performances ranging from local clubs and festivals to an appearance with President Bill Clinton.

But the center of the operation has remained New England and live performance.

Down Back at the Rathskeller

Saturday’s setting fits that tradition particularly well.

The Charlestown Rathskeller’s Down Back area takes the music outside, surrounded by the trees and grounds behind the historic tavern. Instead of a formal theater show, this is a Saturday night built around dinner, drinks and three hours of live music.

The Rathskeller encourages concertgoers to arrive early for food and drinks before heading Down Back for the 8 p.m. performance.

And while a 53-year history gives Steve Smith & The Nakeds plenty of material for nostalgia, the band isn’t being resurrected for an anniversary tour.

They’re still doing what they’ve been doing since 1973: putting a large horn section behind rhythm & blues, soul and rock & roll and taking it to a live audience.

More information is available at the Event Website link below.

To purchase tickets, click the Event Ticketing link below.

Details

Event: Steve Smith & The Nakeds at the Charlestown Rathskeller
Date: Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026
Time: 8–11 p.m.
Venue: Charlestown Rathskeller — Down Back
Address: 489A Old Coach Road, Charlestown, RI 02813
Music: R&B, soul and rock & roll
Advance Admission: $10 plus applicable ticketing fees
At the Door: $15
Food & Drinks: Available at the Rathskeller; arriving early for dinner and drinks is encouraged.

Featured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people, location, or activities shown.