Steve Morse facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Steve Morse
Steve Morse live with Deep Purple in Hamburg in May 2017
Background information
Born	(1954-07-28) July 28, 1954 (age 70) Hamilton, Ohio, U.S.
Genres	Instrumental rock, progressive rock, hard rock, heavy metal, jazz fusion
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	Guitar
Years active	1969–present
Associated acts	Dixie Dregs, Kansas, Deep Purple, Living Loud, Angelfire, Flying Colors

Steve J. Morse, born on July 28, 1954, is a famous American guitarist and songwriter. He has been nominated for a Grammy award seven times! Steve is most known for starting the band Dixie Dregs. He also played guitar for Deep Purple for a very long time. Steve Morse had a great solo career too. He was even a member of the band Kansas in the 1980s. Most recently, Steve joined the supergroup Flying Colors.

Steve Morse's Early Life and Music Journey

Steve Morse was born in Hamilton, Ohio. His family moved to Tennessee and then to Ypsilanti, Michigan. Steve spent his childhood years there. He learned to play piano and clarinet. But he chose the guitar as his main instrument.

Steve played in a band called The Plague with his older brother Dave. Later, his family moved to Augusta, Georgia. In the late 1960s, he played in a band called Three. This band included his older brother and a friend, Jerry Wooten, on keyboards. They played at local clubs and school events.

While in high school, Steve met bassist Andy West. They formed a band called Dixie Grit. This group played songs by bands like Led Zeppelin and Cream. Steve and Andy then played as a duo called the Dixie Dregs. Steve was even kicked out of school for not cutting his hair!

Steve later went to the University of Miami School of Music. Many famous musicians studied there in the 1970s. These included Pat Metheny and Jaco Pastorius. Andy West also joined Steve at the university. They formed a group called Rock Ensemble II. In 1975, they made a recording called The Great Spectacular.

After college, Steve worked briefly as a co-pilot for an airline. Since 1991, he has lived in Ocala, Florida. He is also involved in hay farming there.

The Dixie Dregs Band

After Steve Morse finished college, he and Andy West officially named their band Dixie Dregs. A new drummer, Rod Morgenstein, joined them. The band started playing regularly. They played their own songs and music by John McLaughlin.

In 1976, Capricorn Records signed the band. Their first album for Capricorn was Free Fall. This album showed Steve's amazing guitar skills. It also showed his talent for writing music. Critics liked the album, but it did not sell many copies.

In 1978, they released What If. The band's music grew to include many styles. These included southern rock, classical, folk, and country music. Sales were still low, but the band got to play at the Montreux Jazz Festival. Four songs from this show were put on their next album, Night of the Living Dregs. Capricorn Records went out of business in 1979. This left the Dixie Dregs without a record label.

Arista Records signed the band in 1979. They released Dregs of the Earth in 1980. All eight songs were written by Steve Morse. The album reached number 27 on the Billboard Jazz Album Chart.

Arista Records wanted the band to sell more albums. They asked the band to shorten their name to just The Dregs. This was to make them more popular. Their next album, Unsung Heroes, came out in 1981. The name change did not help much. The record label then pushed the band to add singing to their next album, Industry Standard.

Steve's songs on Industry Standard sounded more like his solo work. The album was praised by critics and fans. Industry Standard was voted "Best Guitar LP" by Guitar Player magazine. Steve was also voted "Best Overall Guitarist" for five years in a row. This honor put him in their "Gallery of Greats." After this, the Dregs decided to take a break from touring in 1983.

In the late 1980s, the group got back together for a tour. They released a "Best Of" album called Divided We Stand. In 1992, they released a live album called Bring 'em Back Alive. They signed with Capricorn Records again. In 1994, they released their first studio album in years, Full Circle.

Steve Morse Band and Kansas

After the Dregs broke up in 1983, Steve Morse started the Steve Morse Band. This was a trio with bassist Jerry Peek and drummer Doug Morgan. Later, Rod Morgenstein became the drummer. They recorded their first album, The Introduction, in 1983. The band toured Germany and signed with Elektra Records. They released a second album, Stand Up, in 1985. This album featured guest singers and guitarists.

In 1986, Steve joined the rock band Kansas. They released two albums with him: Power and In the Spirit of Things. While Steve was with Kansas, they had a big hit song called "All I Wanted." Steve helped write this song. He left the band after touring for the second album. He did rejoin them for part of their 1991 tour.

After leaving Kansas, Steve started the Steve Morse Band again. He had new band members: bassist Dave LaRue and drummer Van Romaine. They have released several albums since then.

Playing with Deep Purple

In 1994, Steve Morse joined the famous British hard rock band Deep Purple. He took the place of Ritchie Blackmore. Steve was their guitarist for 28 years. This made him their longest-serving guitarist. He played on eight studio albums with them. These included Purpendicular (1996) and Turning to Crime (2021). He also appeared on many live albums.

Steve left Deep Purple on July 23, 2022. He left to care for his wife, Janine, who was ill.

Other Music Projects

Steve Morse has also been part of other bands.

Living Loud

In 2003, Steve formed Living Loud. He was joined by Jimmy Barnes, Bob Daisley, Lee Kerslake, and Don Airey. The group released one studio album and a live DVD. In 2010, there were talks of a new album, but it did not happen.

Angelfire

In 2007, Steve started working with singer Sarah Spencer. Their project was called Angelfire. Their album, also called Angelfire, came out in 2010. It featured Dave LaRue and Van Romaine from the Steve Morse Band. The album had a soft, acoustic sound. This was different from Steve's other music.

Flying Colors

In 2011, Steve joined Flying Colors. This is a "supergroup" with famous musicians. The band includes Mike Portnoy, Dave LaRue, Casey McPherson, and Neal Morse. Their first album came out in 2012. It was very popular on the rock charts. Flying Colors released more albums, Second Nature (2014) and Third Degree (2019). Both albums received great reviews.

G3

In 2012, Steve Morse joined the G3 project. This is a tour that features three guitarists. He toured with Steve Vai, John Petrucci, and Joe Satriani. They played shows in South America and Europe.

Steve Morse's Guitar Style

Steve Morse is known for his amazing guitar playing. He can play very complex chords and fast notes. He often uses special sounds called harmonics in his live shows.

How Steve Writes Songs

Steve Morse is like a "jack of all trades" when it comes to music. He mixes many styles in his songs. These include heavy metal, classical, freeform jazz, bluegrass, and country. He blends them with lots of energy.

Steve explained how he writes songs:

I write them on guitar or piano, late at night when there are no distractions. I start with some germ of an idea that I like a lot and believe in because I'm going to have to work with it for a couple of months, on and off. The main thing is getting an idea that will stand up to the test of repeated playing and listening. It could be a chord progression, a bass line, a guitar lick, or a complete piano section. On piano, you generally come up with melody and bass line all at once. The hard part is continuing after that start, because you can't just get another idea that you love and smash it into it. You have to get one that fits. You have to keep getting ideas and throwing them out.

Steve uses many guitar techniques. These include trilling, string skipping, alternate picking, and artificial harmonics. He uses these in his solos and guitar riffs.

His Picking Technique

Steve Morse tries to pick every note he plays. He avoids using hammer-ons and pull-offs. He believes picking all notes is better for faster and more technical music. He was inspired by Led Zeppelin's "Communication Breakdown" and John McLaughlin's playing.

Steve Morse's Impact on Music

Steve Morse is seen as one of the hardest working guitarists. He is famous for his different music styles. Guitar Player magazine voted him "Best Overall Guitarist" for five years in a row. This put him in their "Guitar Player Hall of Fame." Only two other guitarists share this honor.

Many guitarists look up to Steve Morse. John Petrucci often says Steve is a big influence. Even Ritchie Blackmore, who Steve replaced in Deep Purple, said: "Steve Morse is an incredible player. A lot of people try to get some wisecrack out of me, but when you're talking about guitar players along Morse's caliber, they're brilliant."

Steve Morse's Guitar Gear

Guitars

In the 1980s, Steve used a special custom guitar. It had parts from different guitars. He worked with Music Man Guitars to create his own signature models. These guitars are based on his custom "Frankenstein Telecaster."

Pickups

Steve Morse has two signature pickups with DiMarzio. Pickups are parts of the guitar that turn string vibrations into sound. His pickups are balanced. This lets him play notes all over the guitar neck.

Amplifiers

Steve uses ENGL amps. He has his own signature model, the ENGL E-656 Steve Morse signature amplifier. This amp was designed by Steve himself. In the past, he used other amps like Peavey and Marshall.

Live Setup

When playing live, Steve uses two ENGL E 656 Signature amps. He also uses several Music Man guitars. He sends his guitar signal to six different speakers. Four speakers play the dry sound (no effects). Two speakers play the sound with effects. He uses pedals to mix in the effects. His effects are simple. They include a Boss OC-3 Octaver and two delay pedals. He also uses a TC Electronic Polytune Mini guitar tuner.

Steve Morse's Music Albums

With Dixie Dregs

With Deep Purple

Solo and with other bands

Awards and Recognitions

Steve Morse has won many awards for his guitar playing.

Grammy Awards

Guitar Player Magazine

Images for kids

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  Morse playing with Dixie Dregs at Roxy Theatre in Hollywood, California in August 1999

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  Morse playing with Flying Colors in Tilburg, Netherlands in September 2012

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  Morse playing with Deep Purple in Ávila, Spain in July 2013

See also

In Spanish: Steve Morse para niños