Steve Brown’s first musical education was through middle and high school band and orchestra programs (including the Knoxville Youth Symphony and, later, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra). Then he threw away an excellent education and any hope for a financially remunerative career by falling in love with jazz and earning a BM (that’s bachelors of music, folks) in jazz and studio music at the University of Tennessee (“why don’t you get another degree as a backup?” said his father [who was absolutely correct]) studying with Jerry Coker, Ed Soph, and Bob Moses in the process.

The second musical education began when the ever-inquisitive-and-curious Mr. Brown bought a double album (yes, in the pre-CD late 70’s) called the Nonesuch (record label) Explorer Series Sampler. Being especially impressed with the mbira music of (then) Rhodesia, the highlife music of Nigeria, and the monkey chant of Central Africa (Archie Shepp and Pharoah Sanders got nothing on these guys), as well as the harp music of Mexico and the ragas of Northern India, Steve began a love affair with what has since become known as “world music”.

His third musical education began when Hector Qirko, who taught guitar at the time, said to Steve, who taught drums at the time (and  at the same music store), “Hey, I’m thinking of forming a blues band – you wanna play?” Since then he began playing every facet of the blues with the HQ (Hector Qirko) Band. (And then jazz, rockabilly, reggae, cumbia, samba...). Steve also currently plays with the Klezmer band Dor L’Dor.

Steve has also played with: the Curb Feelers (American roots music, r&b, blues), Bluefish (soul, funk, blues), RB Morris and the Irregulars (original music, poetry&music, roots music), Crawdaddy (ska, reggae, soul, blues), and Terry Hill and the Semiconductors (original and world music)