WRITING MUSIC has been and continues to be a lifetime passion for Stephen. He began piano lesssons-- and composing-- at the age of six with his first song, “The Silver Moon.” Taught first by his mother Stephen learned hymns and gospel songs and began performing for church services and area talent competitions.
IN JUNIOR HIGH Stephen began studying classical piano with noted teacher Nadine Clark—an exuberant personality who fostered creativity in students. With her encouragement Stephen completed a choral composition for his high school choir. The work was accepted and performed for the school’s spring concert. He presented more works, and each was accepted with his final work in his senior year being performed by the full school orchestra, concert choir and a soloist from the Seattle Opera.
STEPHEN CONTINUED to compose in college seeking a degree in theatre with a focus in writing music for film and live performances. His works at Emerson College won the New England Theatre Conference award for best music in a live performance. Stephen was asked to write for the script “Up Against It” which was originally written for the Beatles, but never produced. He also wrote in collaboration with script writers for original works performed in Boston and Detroit.
HIS COMPOSING moved from writing for live theatre to film and video completing the soundtracks for “48 Sargent Street” and “Morning Star.”
IN HIS EARLY 20's Stephen began working with area musicians to form his first rock bands. He completed his first solo album “Special Child” and then moved to working with Billy Pease, Guy Ianetti and David Cozart to form the band, “Young Bodies." Rick Keefer of Seawest Studios (Seattle and Hawaii) became producer for the band. He released and promoted one album with the group which was picked up by RCA but never released. Stephen used his middle name, James, for a stage name of Stephen James at that time.
HE THEN WORKED with Steve Buffington, Rick Taylor and Fred Parks to create the soundtrack for a multi-media stage show using live actors, film, special effects and live music entitled, “Rainbow.” The four later completed a second album release entitled, “Abused.”
Selections from the recordings of "Special Child", "Young Bodies", "Rainbow", "Abused", and "48 Sargent Street" were later put together for the CD "Stephen Now ...and then" in 2002.
STEPHEN continues to write and record in Seattle, Washington, USA. He has completed five solo CD's from his own studio: “Poets in the Streets” 2001, “Songs from Here ” 2004, “Atom Time” 2006, and “Stephen Now through and through” 2008 with his latest "HIGH" released in 2012.
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