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Member Info: Steve Cass - Solid Walnut Music |
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Name: Steve Cass
Contact: Available to Members
Focus: Acoustic/Folk
Location: Phoenix, AZ USA
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The Guitar is By Far My Best Friend (On Earth)
I grew up in Des Moines, IA, lived in KCMO for a few years and now live in Phoenix.
On Thanksgiving Day in 1970 when I was twelve, I was at my grandma's house. I was upstairs messing around and I found this old guitar. I messed around with it until dinner. After dinner, I had to go back up there. When it was time to go home, she said I could take it with me. And I've been playing ever since that day. I'm an old man, what can I say? I'm a self-taught musician and learned to play by ear, which translates into saying that sometimes I'm lousy at explaining guitar moves. Anyway, I began playing in church after three weeks, and I've been playing there ever since.
I was very fortunate that during my teenage years I had some friends that were in a national touring band, Followers of the Way. They had decided to quit touring and concentrate on local ministry in my home city. I was pleasantly surprised at my 18th birthday with an invitation to join the band as an acoustic guitarist and lead male vocalist. We not only played for church functions, but in bars, clubs and conventions in full band, trios, duos, whatever.
I discovered the electric guitar in 1977 and played in several bands, finally learning the craft of playing lead. In 1982 I joined Ace Rival, a rock and metal show band touring the midwest as the lead guitarist playing for all sorts of drunk souls the likes of tunes such as The Wall, Black Out, There's Only One Way to Rock, Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love, Red Barchetta, etc. I sure fell in love with rock. When this experience was but a puff of nothing in the memory banks, I took my leave of playing music full time and took on a career in electronics.
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And now for something completely different (not really!)
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Out playin' the Taylor on a solo gig. Pictured is the 1999 Taylor 714ce, the 2001 Ibanez EDA900 Bass and the 1979 Les Paul "The Paul" Solid Walnut |
Anyway, in 1995 I began to write songs (that actually stuck with me) and started a ministry of song and of publishing. I've released two solo CDs and produced four other CDs on my label, Solid Walnut Music. I've been a guest musician on another five projects, as well as several tracks for others.
I'm heavily involved in the music industry, but I just don't make enough money at it to do it full time, unfortunately.
I'm involved in publishing, recording, songwriting, producing and distribution. In between times I do gigs. I also have a demo service in my project studio (check it out at Solid Walnut Audio Productions) and spend time producing other artists/bands in either my studio or others around town.
And I still, and will always plan to, play at church. For the previous church I attended, I started out by mainly playing lead guitar and rockin' out with the Les Paul, and eventually became the acoustic guitartist jammin' on my Taylor. At my current church, Hope Covenant, I'm the lead guitarist. I'm back jammin' on the Les Paul! But I lead worship occasionally with the Taylor.
Wholenote Lessons
The vast majority of my lessons here are geared to the beginner. I have a complete series of lessons called Playbook for the Beginner and Beyond. That's the link to the intro to the lessons. I sure hope you enjoy them. Please recommend them to any beginners you know. I created a lesson guide to all of my lessons here, from the Playbook for the Beginner and Beyond to all of the other lessons that are unrelated to that series. Check out the Steve Cass: Lesson and Music Guide. Thanks.
Wholenote Mp3's
Stop in the Blood
For the One Who Saves
The Garden
Wholenote Add-A-Tracks
All of my contributions to the WN add-a-tracks as well as any WN mp3s can be found in the Steve Cass: Lesson and Music Guide.
They can also be found in one place at Yahoo Groups, along with many WN member's contributions. Just click on the add-a-track forum.
My Music in other Places
If you do a search of my name at google.com you'll find alot of reviews and references of my music.
Solid Walnut Music is where you can find my two released CDs and audio clips. I also produced four other CDs that you can find there (two now, the others will be there eventually).
Just Passing Through is a CD project I produced and played on in 1993 and 1994.
GetChristianMusic.com is a retail CD site that I run.
I have a project studio, so I won't list all of that stuff here (but see the link above for Solid Walnut Audio Productions if you're interested in the list of all of my studio gear).
Guitars
2001 Ibanez ED900 Bass
1999 Taylor 714ce with Fishman Prefix onboard blender
1995 Martin D1 with Fishman package, 1985 Guild F42NT
1981 Washburn D21SB
1979 Les Paul 'The Paul' solidwalnut
Amps
Trace Elliot Speed Twin C50 amp (tube)
Lab Series L11 200W amp (solid state)
Effects
Lexicon MPX 1 rack mount multi-effect for the Taylor
Lexicon MPX G2 rack mount multi-effect for the Les Paul
I run my rig wireless, and I can pick up and use either the acoustic or the electric.
I write articles on music and other things at Helium.com. Please come and check them out!
Thanks for checking!
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Musical Influences
• James Taylor
• Eric Clapton -- his blues stuff
• Eddie Van Halen
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Favorite Recordings
• Anything by Stevie Ray Vaughn
• Andres Segovia -- The Baroque Guitar
• Green Grass and High Tides by the Outlaws
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