Al Staehely is the only person on the planet who has both played Carnegie Hall and provided legal services for Stevie Ray Vaughan.  Soon after graduating UT law school and being admitted to the Texas Bar, this third generation Austinite pushed the pause button on a law career, arrived in Los Angeles in 1971 and was asked to join Spirit as the band’s new lead vocalist, bass player, and chief songwriter.   After Brother John came aboard taking over lead guitar duties from Randy California, Spirit recorded the album, Feedback, released in the spring of 1972. Critic Joe Viglione defined the band’s new sound “a phenomenal reinvention of Spirit.” In addition to writing most of the songs for “Feedback”, the Staehely Brothers and his solo projects, Al’s songs have been recorded, by Marty Balin, Bobbie Gentry, Patti Dahlstrom, Keith Moon and others.  Al has toured and/or recorded with Chris Hillman, Keith Moon, Tommy James, Papa John Creach, Jackie Lomax, Hot Tuna, Patti Dahlstrom, John Cipollina and Nick Gravenites.  When Spirit splintered, Al and John released the album Sta-Hay-Lee on Epic Records in 1973.  In 1982, Polydor released Al’s first solo album in Europe, later to be released in the U.S. by Austin’s SteadyBoy Records.  An EP and two other albums followed- “Post Spirit Vol. 1, Post Spirit 1974-1978.”  In 2023, “Somewhere in West Texas”, recorded in Marfa with Fran Christina, Scrappy Jud Newcomb and Chris Maresh. “The album is real, precise, catchy and layered Texas Americana music.” – Americana Highways 

As an entertainment attorney for over 40 years, Al has represented artists, authors, songwriters, record companies, publishing companies, photographers and production companies.