stephen1110823 + Musician in Ruskin, FL

SEEKING

ABOUT

Pedal Steel Guitarist -Perfect Pitch - Perfect meter- harmonies- lead vocals- sing AND play 12 string extended E9th Pedal Steel at the same time. Looking to join or form 4 piece to play Tampa, St Pete, Bradenton, Ruskin, Riverview, Brandon. I want to keep travel to 35 miles or less ( from Ruskin ). I can provide a thick rhythm to back guitar, fills, lead rides. I would play farther away if travel is compensated in addition to setup/breakdown,performance. I will NOT play 50 miles away for $60! I do not need to rehearse. I have Nashville Number charts for all my songs. Those plus a recording of the song is all you should need. Once everyone has their part down, THEN I will rehearse. If it takes you more than 2 run throughs to get your parts right, you are not what I am looking for. Like minded musicians can reach me at 813-649-1368. I played for John Lincoln Wright- here's 2 clips of me playing for his benefit upon his passing:
s://./watch?v=qyrNUjW9dFs
s://./watch?v=1YpeHMK-e-o

Screen name:

stephen1110823

Member since:

Feb 01 2016

Active over 1 month ago

Level of commitment:

Committed

Years playing music:

40

Gigs played:

Over 100

Tend to practice:

1 time per week

Available to gig:

4-5 nights a week

Most available:

Days

Influences

Graham Parsons- The Byrds- New Riders of the Purple Sage- Poco- Eagles- Emmy Lou Harris- Traveling Wilburies- Neil Young- Beatles- Lloyd Green-Buddy Emmons-Rolling Stones- Country Music1960-2006
Born 1/30/1951 Newton, MA.
Newton had a strong music curriculum in it’s schools & was rated the top school system by the Fed Government in 1969.
Steve’s father and mother both played accordion. His father was a regional director of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America. Steve and his 3 sisters were taught to sing grace for dinner in 4 part Barbershop style. They had to sing at family holiday dinners and hated it. Actually they didn’t mind singing, it was the performing in front of others that horrified them. Steve eventually got used to “performing in public”
In Junior High School, in 7th & 8th grades, Steve was a member of the school’s Chorus, which performed Operas for the parents in the school auditorium,. In the 9th Grade Steve had the lead (Matt) in the Broadway Musical “The Fantastics”.
In High School Steve was a member of the 40 person School Chorus, and the 8 person “Madrigals” group. First as a 1st Tenor & by 12th grade a 2nd Tenor/1st Bass. He was also in the schools production of the Musical “South Pacific, and Massachusetts All State Chorus, performing Handel’s Messiah.
He played drum pad in the 4th grade, trombone in the 6th grade, but by the early 60s folk music was popular and Steve took a liking to acoustic guitar, and bought his first instrument (and a surfboard) with his paper route money.
By 1975 Disco did to Country Rock what “New Country” is doing to real Country today, so Steve and his surfing buddy, Geoff Patterson, turned to AM Country . Geoff built a Pedal Steel and formed a band, Cabin Fever, in 1974 who went on to win the nationwide Wild Turkey Battle of the (Country) Bands. Geoff first bought a double neck Emmons, then a 12 string single neck Emmons. Steve had been wanting an electric guitar, but feared his fingers were too big for that. After hearing the tone of the Geoff’s Emmons he bought his buddys’s double neck Emmons in 1977. Then while on the road in Gainsville, a single 10 ShoBud 1980, then a single 12 ShoBud 1981Arlington MA, then a single 12 Deckley CT 1982 , which Steve set up with Geoff’s unique changes. Steve still plays this Deckley today. Steve played the New England Circuit with a dozen different bands & formed his own band “Brushfire” 1981-1985. Most members were Berkley College of Music, Boston, students or graduates, and Steve was taught the mechanics of Country music - by Professional Musicians. Steve played Steel for Robert Ellis Oral’s on his studio produced advertisement Jingles. After Brushfire, Steve was Contracting and didn’t have time for a full time band and went “hired Gun” covering for members of friend’s bands who could not make it to their gig. 1992-1996 Steve played for John Lincoln Wright, the best Country performer to come out of New England. After opening for Merle Haggard, Merle told John, “your Band is a hard act to follow”. John only used the best of the best and Steve learned even more from them.
Steve & Geoff built a recording studio, called “The White Dog”, (using Todd Rundren’s road board) where John, Tom Ghent, and local bands recorded.
By 1997 Steve got tired of winters and moved to Ruskin FL. He first sat in with Glenn Potter, Al Vandenburg, Morris Kirk, and Rocky. They introduced Steve to the local Tampa talent and The River’s Edge Sunday afternoon Jam. Steve played there from 1998 until 2008 where he met Terry McIver and Tony Lee. Steve & Terry both had perfect meter and developed a lasting friendship. Steve and Terry have played together ever since that meeting.
Steve was also a State licensed Contractor (MA & FL 1986-2011). On 11/24/2011 Steve suffered a stroke and retired from Contracting. Today Steve still plays out and still has perfect pitch and meter. As a Pedal Steel Junkie, Steve also visits Andy Perry’s Wednesday Night Country Jam at Aces in Bradenton, when he has the gas money. There he and Andy play “dueling Steels”. Their Steel’s tones are contrasting, as opposed to too much of the same, and they both enjoy it. Steve also attends a Tuesday Steel Guitar jam at the Moose in Bradenton a couple of time a year. There, up to a dozen Steelers can be present, each taking a turn at a song of their choice, backed up by a house band. If you like harmonies and the sound of a Pedal Steel and Telecaster, you’ll enjoy working with Steve.

Instrument experience:

Steel guitar:

Expert

Vocalist:

Expert

Vocalist - Baritone:

Expert

Acoustic Guitar:

Moderate

Bass Guitar:

Moderate

Rhythm Guitar:

Moderate

Vocalist - Bass:

Moderate

Vocalist - Tenor:

Moderate

EQUIPMENT

Dean Acoustic- Dean Dobro- Telecaster vintage neck- '59 Thinline Telecaster- Fender Precision Bass- 1984 Peavey 12 channel stereo Board- 2006 Peavey 12 Channel stereo board- 60ft 12 channel snake- QSC 400 watt stereo power amp- 3- hot spot monitors- Peavey 150 bass amp- Tube Works 400 watt Bass Amp- 2 boom mike stands- 3 monitor stands- 2 music stands- Mains for small room- 2 Fender Delux 90s-

MUSIC