The Steve Merrick Band profile picture

The Steve Merrick Band

Don't just know somebody. BE somebody.

About Me

The Steve Merrick Band consists of 29 different people from all around the Southern California - LA area. We are purposely ethnically and culturally diverse in order to strive after the vision God gave John of what heaven would be like in Revelation 7. "Every tribe, every tongue, and every nation gathered before the throne of God." The group was purposely formed from many different churches. Creating this recording reached beyond all of our comfort zones and got us into the space of people we might not have known otherwise.
Our high energy music is designed to lift your spirits wherever you are at in this battle called life. Listen to "One of His Family" and let the Holy Spirit lift you out of your despair. Listen to "He Wrote My Name" and realize that the God of the universe has stated in His word, that He has engraved your name on the palms of His hands. (Isaiah 49:15 & 16)
If you would like to listen to more of our music press this link Listen here
Do you want the CD, but you don’t have the money? I don’t care. Message me with your address and I’ll send it out free of charge. Just promise me that when God lifts you back to the place where you can pour out love to someone else, you will give with the same heart.
Steve Merrick is the full time music director/music pastor at the 4000+ First Evangelical Free Church of Fullerton. He also teaches College music at Azusa Pacific University. Steve has been writing music since he was in high school and started producing and recording in 2001.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 8/4/2006
Band Website: elephantmanmusic.com
Band Members: The people who make up the Steve Merrick Band are: Vocals/Piano/Keys/Bass Guitar: Steve Merrick; B3 Troy Welstad; Piano/Keys: Michael Fash; Guitar: Jacob Park; Guitar: Ryan Maloney; Drums Bryan Taylor; Trumpets: Joe Calderon, Carlos Centeno & Stephen Martin; Tenor Saxes; Joel Catalan & Joel Lopez; Trombones: Dave Beatty & Erich Marbach; Bari Sax: Stefan Cardenas; Violin: Armine Nerkararyan; Cello: Carolyn Litchfield; Vocal production and vocals: Wendy Hinkle; and Vocals: Michael Stafford, Letitia Ugwueke; Loren Smith; Jennifer Moore; Kay Poland; Ginny Mouawad; Shekinah Williams; Pamela Pruitt; Heather Poluzcik; Jonathan Balzora; Tim Riffle; and Calli Dye;
Influences: Kirk Franklin; Israel Houghton; Charlie Peacock; Tommy Walker; Tower of Power; Earth, Wind, & Fire; Duke Ellington; Stevie Wonder; Bill Evans; Fats Waller; Harry Connick Jr; Louis Armstrong; Miles Davis; John Coltrane; Tommy Flanagan; Wayne Shorter; and those are just some of mine. I won't even get started with the rest of the band's.
Sounds Like: Kirk Franklin but more raw; Israel Houghton but thicker horn sound; Earth, Wind, & Fire, but more modern; Tommy Walker but more funky; Tower of Power, but more modern;
Record Label: Elephantman Music Productions - I Tunes
Type of Label: Major

My Blog

New Music Fundamentals Textbook

So, I have taught College since 1998. Basically right out of grad school I got a call that they needed someone at APU to teach jazz keyboard (LUCKY!!!). Thank you God. So, however many years later ...
Posted by The Steve Merrick Band on Sat, 01 Sep 2007 10:25:00 PST

Thank you Starbucks and McDonalds for ruining the English language!

Superlative: A word or phrase used specifically to exaggerate the importance or physical size of any object.So years ago, Starbucks hits it big by offering their smallest size as "Tall". Their next s...
Posted by The Steve Merrick Band on Fri, 17 Aug 2007 06:11:00 PST

Just got back from a wonderful week in Colorado

My family and I (wife Jenn, girls Haley, Kayci, and Courtney) drove to Colorado last week. Started two Thursdays ago, stayed in Cedar City, Utah the first night. Then drove to Eagle, Colorado the se...
Posted by The Steve Merrick Band on Thu, 09 Aug 2007 09:58:00 PST

Props to Hot 91.

I just want to say thank you to Hot 91 for playing awesome music all of the time.  The people at this station are courageous in that fact that they are going against the flow and playing a much n...
Posted by The Steve Merrick Band on Tue, 10 Jul 2007 08:20:00 PST

My Cd is nominated for the Ensound Music Awards

My CD, A Reason to Live has been nominated for the Ensound Music Awards, Best Contemporary Christian Album.Would you mind following the link below and voting for me?  I am on page 2, in cate...
Posted by The Steve Merrick Band on Thu, 05 Jul 2007 01:03:00 PST

I have about a dozen things I want to accomplish today.

1) Make contacts to managers and festival coordinators.2) Get Alizma some bookings. http://www.alizma.com3) Prepare "One of His Family" for radio play/radio remix.4) Rearrange my office and clean it u...
Posted by The Steve Merrick Band on Fri, 25 May 2007 12:14:00 PST

It's been a long time blog. Are you lonely?

It is about time that I continued my Nashville blog.  I'll probably make it a little more condensed wrap-up about it since it has been a couple of weeks. So, what a great week.  If you are o...
Posted by The Steve Merrick Band on Wed, 23 May 2007 08:32:00 PST

If you can read this, the problem is fixed.

I keep getting complaints that people can't read the stuff on my site.  I think maybe older computers can't figure out the new html/css, so hopefully this will fix it.
Posted by The Steve Merrick Band on Sat, 05 May 2007 11:06:00 PST

Nashville Part III

So, let me give you the key to the music industry, actually to the entire Entertainment industry.  The most overused and erroneous statement in the Entertainment industry is this: "It only takes ...
Posted by The Steve Merrick Band on Mon, 30 Apr 2007 07:41:00 PST

Nashville Trip Part II

John Mays was surprisingly positive toward my teaching that music theory course I was talking about.  I say surprising because sometimes you get the idea that these record execs are just in the b...
Posted by The Steve Merrick Band on Sat, 28 Apr 2007 09:43:00 PST