Stephe

Stephe discovered the performing art of music in 1964. He heard the Dave Clark Five and immediately knew that was what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. Grandpa George bought Stephe a trap set of drums for Christmas 1964. Stephe played drums in a number of small groups until the summer of 1971. That was the summer that Stephe met twin brothers Dale and Gale Bass and former "Lemon Pipers" guitarist, Gary Guthrie. The Bass brothers and Guthrie made a gift to Stephe of an electric guitar. That changed everything. Being left-handed made learning the guitar a bigger challenge, but no other instrument has inspired him like the guitar.

While still in high school in Columbus, Ohio Stephe got a job in the house band, "Mirage", at Ruthie’s Pit Stop Bar. No one suspected that he was only seventeen. He celebrated his eighteenth birthday on stage there. Shortly thereafter in 1976 the band "Menagerie" found themselves looking for a new lead guitarist. It was Mirage’s drummer Harold Smith II who arranged for Stephe to get that audition. Stephe was offered the job at the audition and accepted. Menagerie had recorded one LP and was committed to another. Jim McFee and Heavy Campbell hired Stephe to replace TJ Evans. TJ rejoined the band and the four of them worked together for about a couple of years. Stephe walked away from that deal with the "Gibson Flying V" that he still plays today and little else.

Stephe played in a number of club acts until hooking up with "Toys". Stephe wrote and recorded with Toys from 1979 to 1981. It was during this period that he started playing keyboards seriously. He also built a small 8 track recording studio in his home in Columbus, Ohio. This led to him scoring the ill-fated animated Sci-fi film "Gallager’s World". In 1983 Stephe built a successful career as a multi-media producer back in his hometown, Dayton, Ohio. Among his producing credits is a 1984 show in Boston featuring a live performance by, then Miss America, Vanessa Williams. He is also the award winning director and producer of dozens of videos.

Then in 1991 Stephe met Rewind’s founder and bass player, Tom Heffner. Stephe and Tom kept "Rewind A Classic Rock Show" alive until 2004. But Stephe loves the studio. So he built another one in 1995. That spawned "The Resistance". While artistically satisfying, It was not terribly profitable. He also recorded and produced the Kentucky band "Smakkedab" for Outland Records in 1996 and "Hold On!" by David Meese for Arel Records in 1998.

Right now, Stephe is moving the Arel Records studio back home. The first recording in the new not yet even painted space, was Rock-n-Roll Mama. Stephe actually wrote that song while working with "Toys". This millenium finds Stephe working on a second collection of holiday music as a gift for his wife Yvonda. Their two children are helping to select the songs to be arranged and recorded. The 2002 release of "Merry Christmas" continues to do well. He is also working on a collection of jazz pieces called "Finally My Turn". But the real fun is in recording and singing the neo-classic rock of songs like "Rock-n-Roll Mama" which is building up a head of steam and taking on a life of its own. He is even considering finding another nightclub act to replace the now retired "Rewind". And as he says, "the rest is the future." Stay tuned…