Purty Dang Good From Bartender to Barbecue Tender, A True Story

This is the heartwarming, inspirational, (perhaps cautionary) true story about a man starting over in midlife by opening a small, family business. This uplifting memoir will have you rooting for the underdog. Through his inspiring and against the odds story, you'll be reminded that dreams in fact, can come true.

If you enjoy Texas barbecue, Tennessee charm, and Seattle bars and restaurants, this adventurous tale of a hotel bartender starting a family business in about six months without having any previous experience is going to leave you shaking your head and laughing at the sheer audacity of it all.

With no experience, Steve Burney dared to take his life in a whole new direction when he was turning 50 years old. He had no practical background with owning, operating, or even working in a barbecue restaurant, but a series of events and inner reflections propelled him towards an epiphany he simply could not ignore.

This is an inspirational tale about believing that anything can be accomplished if one stays truly committed to acting, one step at a time, to make dreams turn into reality. Steve Burney honestly shares how his background was checkered with missteps, disappointments, and heartbreaks. He shows us that there was nothing about him or his life that would have indicated any certainty of success. He operated only on faith, both spiritual and from a loving family, that he steadfastly leaned on to keep him getting up after each time he was knocked down.

This story is for the underdogs. It's for all the barbecue loving Americans who never give up on their aspirations, no matter the obstacles or adversity. This story is for you.

Nearing the age of fifty, Steve Burney risked everything to open a small family business in Lake Forest Park, Washington, even though he had never previously owned a business and had absolutely no experience. After a six-month wild ride of improbable, serendipitous occurrences, Burney Brothers BBQ had its grand opening in 2004.

He was previously a bartender and manager at a downtown Seattle hotel for seventeen years. Originally from Texas, he grew up in a small town outside of San Antonio, leaving at the age of nineteen to study theatre in New York City, where he lived and worked as an actor for over ten years.

He is now back in Texas, living outside of San Antonio with his wife, Leni.