Old newspaper photo - Rex Mundi High School, Evansville Indiana
Larry and My 1st exposure
to an audience-Fall 1963.
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Who cares about the music, check out the brand new 65 Mustang Convertable! (and it's RED!)
Me and my new Gibson guitar. 1966, my freshman year in college.
The Oceanside Hillbillies, comically portraid in 1966 by members of The New Saint James Singers. (notice, the girl has the gun).
Pictured from Left to right: I don't remember him, Laure Strathdee, Bob Lynch, Linda Scheafer and me.
In the summer of 1966, I had the great honor of playing and singing with 3 Franciscan Brothers for Sunday Masses at The Old Misson San Luis Rey while the world famous men's choir from the seminary was on summer break. Two of my brothers from the misson are pictured here, Brothers Terry and Dave, Brother Jerry was away when we took this pic........BTW, I didn't get to wear the brown Franciscan Habit. ...I should have been a monk.
After college, to the Navy.
Still pickin'
The not quite "over the hill " Travellers. Home for a visit from the Navy. Pickin' with my big brother, Larry.
Everyone loves a parade!
Ah the 70's, long hair and bellbottoms
Jim V. and me.
Practice, practice, practice!
Jammin' at Jim's house in Milton, WA.
Jim & I pickin' at KME company picnic. We both worked there.
Sandy, my wife, joined Jim and me to become "Mixed Company" .
And then the retreat from music for 10 years.
My first solo publicity shot. By Mark Sargent.
A newspaper ad for a weekend show I shared with Tanya. I played Saturday, Tanya played Sunday. At least I got to share the article with her. I first saw Tanya playing on a Seattle ferry years before.
I was fortunate enough to host the open mic at The Titusville Station, in Kent, each week for five years, finally retiring from that position in December of 1995.
On my retirement party from the open mic, Steph made her debut with a Christmas song.
Pictured above Steph are additional shots from my retirement party. lots of friends and performers wishing me well and thanks for the long run. I really thank all of them for making it a fun 5 years.
MORE OPEN MIC STUFF
I guess you gotta make weird faces when you sing. Well, that's what my FRIENDS said to do......and I believed them?
Me at an open mic at Crossroads Mall in Bellevue Wa. .......there's that weird face again, gotta fix that.....
Accompanying Jeffrey Dahl at Crossroads. Jeff is such a great singer that when he was singing this song, the shoppers in the adjacent department store, stopped shopping and turned around to listen. No one got that kind of reaction at an open mic. Awesome!
Hey! Jeffrey didn't have to make a weird face to sing good............(they lied to me)
I had the great honor of being asked to sing "Turn Around" at my daughter, Marnie's wedding reception to Brian Larson on July 29, 1995. It was such a trill. I was doing fine up until the last chorus when I opened my eyes and saw Marnie sitting with her little sisters on her lap. My fingers kept playing but my voice got all chocked up and not a sound came out. Love my 3 "Daddies little girls"
I began signing with Nancy Vivolo in the Port Angeles area. Played at The Straights Of Jaun De Fuca Festival and many other places. You can read alittle about our singing in my "Faery Music" blog.
Photo by Jeffrey Dahl.
One of our gigs. "Read All About It"
Another photo by Jeffrey Dahl.
Maybe, if I opened my eyes once and awhile, I could see the audience walking out on me......that's show biz!
Okay, here is my buddy Petey. He's the navigator (I won't let him drive......yet.)
That 2nd picture above of the tenor and the 12 str. also shows my Zorro sword. The electric 12 str. and mandolines are from Vietnam. Look at all the beautiful abalone and mother of pearl inlay.
Some of my many instuments. above is my Martin D28, Aria banjo & Gibson SJN Special
In the fall of 1996, I was hit with a series of 3 strokes. I lost my ability to sing and play my guitar. I felt devastated and fell into an awful depression. Suddenly losing the music that had sustained me for most of 40 years. My buddies, Jeffrey Dahl and Jeff Knoch, put together a show and invited me to play harmonica with them. They saved my life.
I regained the ability to play the guitar after severai years but haven't gotten my voice back yet. My 2 friends said "don't worry about it Steve, your voice wasn't any good before your strokes."...............friends? ..............yeah, I'll keep'em.
My son, John, is also a picker!
If you're gonna be in the hospital with pneumonia for the 17th time, might as well play your new guitar while taking a breathing treatment. My very good friends, Rebecca and Ritzo, delivered my new guitar to me when they came to visit me in the VA Hospital in La Jolla.
Above are pics of me playing various instruments in our worship band at the Oceanside Vineyard Church. There are pics playing an electric 12 string guitar, mandolin and harmonica. Lately, I've also been playing my 40 year old sweetheart Martin D28 6 string acoustic guitar. I really enjoy our worship time together.
Some of my latest students.
Elvis wasn't part of the lesson plan but Lexi added him anyway!
My 3 Ladies
The addiction continues.....my new acoustic/electric bass & Spear Electric 6 string guitar ( Black Beauty) . And Samich D-9.
Old folksingers don't just go away, they hang out at the beach!
