Born and raised in Portaferry at the tip of the Ards Peninsula in County Down Stephen’s musical talent was evident from the age of 7 when he started to play keyboards and guitar without ever having a lesson. He gained a great love of music from his father who played in Ireland’s first Hawaiian band in the late fifties and who was a member of a Showband for 15 years.
Self –taught, Stephen is recognised in the industry as a highly gifted and versatile musician who plays a vast array of instruments and who has backed innumerable artists over the years on stage and in recordings.
He first appeared on stage at the age of 13 playing lead guitar for a gig with the 70’s Showband his father was part of , Colm and the Sundowners. He established his first band, Frontline, the following year and despite his tender years soon gained a loyal following and earned a reputation in the business for professionalism as a singer and musician.
In 1987 at the age of 17 he got a big break when he joined Philomena Begley’s Band, Shotgun and so began a lifelong friendship and professional relationship from which he was to gain great experience. Over the next 8 years he toured extensively with the band throughout Ireland, the UK and Europe singing backing vocals and playing fiddle, pedal steel and lead guitar.
One of the many highlights was taking part in the Wembley Country Music Festival in London. When Philly cut back her touring Stephen went “out front” to become the lead singer with Shotgun during which time he produced and recorded several albums of country favourites.
In 1997 he joined The Indians and recorded an album with them which featured him as lead vocalist. During his time with the Indians he taught himself how to play saxophone and he introduced this into the musical mix to great acclaim.
He joined the Dominic Kirwan Band as the new Millennium approached and toured extensively with them in the UK as well as in the US and the Caribbean. In September 2003 Stephen moved to Declan Nerney as saxophone player and has been with Declan up ‘till embarking on this new venture.
In the last year Stephen launched a Country Club in a small local venue in his home town of Portaferry which gave him a great opportunity to showcase his own talent and at which many of his friends from the country music scene in Ireland, such as Larry Cunningham, Jimmy Buckley, Louise Morrissey, Mick Flavin, Keiran McGilligan, Frank McCaffrey, Patrick Feeny and many more, joined him to provide fans with a uniquely intimate venue to see their favourite stars, “live and unplugged”.
Stephen spends whatever spare time he has writing his own songs. He has his own recording studio where artists from all over Ireland and the UK come to record. You will see Stephen’s name pop up as session musician on many other recordings.
With all this experience behind him Stephen believes the time is now right for him to launch his own solo career, while everybody wonders why he waited so long.
A big guy with a big personality and a big voice Stephen admits he would not have even contemplated this step without the encouragement of his many fans and the support of his friends in the music business including Eamonn Keane, player/manger of the Indians who is helping to steer his new path by managing this new venture.