There were two metal bands named Steeler in the 80's, one was from Germany and this one from America. Ron Keel was on vocals and guitar, Michael Dunigan on lead guitar, Tim Morrison on bass and Bobby Eva on drums. They formed in Nashvile and released a single in 1982 titled "Cold Day in Hell". Shortly after it's release Eva, Dunigan and Morrison left the band and were replaced by Mark Edwards, Rik Fox and Yngwie Malmsteen. The band relocated to Los Angles and in 1983 they released their only album, Steeler. It became the highest selling independently released heavy metal album of all time but the success was not immediate and they soon disbanded. This album was responsible for launching the career's of it's founder, Ron Keel and the guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen. There was other incarnations of Steeler with Mitch Perry (guitar), Bobby Marks (drums), Kurt James (guitar), and Greg Chaisson (bass) but they did not release an album.

Ron Keel went on to form the band Keel and from 1984 to1989 they sold over 2 million records. In 1990 Ron formed the band Fair Game, which never released an album. In 1997 he worked with Akihito Kinoshita's band, Saber Tiger, on their "Project One" album. In 2000 he formed IronHorse, a southern country rock band, but left them in 2007. In 2014 he released a solo album, Metal Cowboy, featuring members of Tesla, Y&T, Rascal Flatts, Keel, Faster Pussycat and others. He also published his autobiography, "Even Keel" and now resides in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Yngwie Malmsteen was just eighteen when he recorded with Steeler, he then joined Alcatrazz for their deput album and subsequent live release. In 1984 he went solo and released his Rising Force album. He has released twenty albums since 2012 and is currently working on an new album.

Mark Edwards went to drum for Lion, 3rd Stage Alert, Burning Starr and Riot. He sustained a back-breaking injury during a motocross accident which ended his drumming career and he now works at a publicity firm in Texas.

Before joining Steeler, Rik Fox (Richard Suligowski) was in W.A.S.P. and after Steeler he started the band Sin and when that fell through he joined Burn and then Surgical Steel and finally formed Thunderball. Fox also did some acting, he was in the film "Surface to Air" and was on the television soap opera General Hospital.