chip stead band
Bitten by the Music Bug at the age of 11, Chip
got his first stringed instrument......a Ukulele. He was hooked....and it wasn't long till he graduated to guitar.
Living in Northern Michigan in the 70's he listened to every style of music available to him. Influenced by his parents records, Chip soaked up a lot of 'Country Music".
The Rock and Roll of the day consisted of a lot of radio play like C.C.R. and The Beatles. Playing and singing became a passion, and Chip payed a lot of DUES
playing every venue he could find in Northern Michigan. One of the highlites of Chip's early career was opening for Country Musics "Dottie West" at the Cheboygan County Fair.
At the ripe age of 21, Chip set out to find his musical destiny, and after a brief stop in Florida, he wound up just outside of L.A. in California's "Inland Empire". Possessing a love for the 6 string electric guitar, Chip landed a job as guitar tech at San Bernardino's "LEIRS MUSIC". While there, he met and performed with one of his Rock and Roll Idols "Rick Derringer".
During this time, Chip found boredom in the guitar and pursued other instruments, Pedal Steel, Fiddle, Drums, Bass, and Keyboard. After burning out in the club scene in Southern California, he climbed aboard a Gospel Bus, and teamed up with keyboardist "Tracy Heaston". With Tracy, Chip found himself recording with some of Southern California's biggest Gospel names. Infected by the Recording Bug, Chip was recruited as a multi-instrumentalist and session player for many of the Gospel Albums of the area.
In 1989, answering the call of the North, Chip returned to the home of his upbringing. There with his wife Caroline, He has settled down and enjoys fishing and hunting. Still maintaining a home studio business, he is working with various writers and producing local artists and bands.
