Artist description aka Tarotkid is an Atlanta Singer/Songwriter doing Acoustic Music influenced by Folk, Rock, Jazz and Blues

Music Style Acoustic music with folk, rock, jazz and blues influences

Musical Influences Cat Stevens, Smashing Pumkins, Eric Clapton, Seal, Steely Dan

Similar Artists Cat Stevens, Neil Young, James Taylor, John Popper

Artist History I come from an extremely diverse musical background, with influences ranging from Mozart to Harry Connick, Jr. to James Taylor to the Smashing Pumpkins. My voice is often likened to Cat Stevens, but has been compared recently to John Popper from Blues Traveler. Many people who have heard my music have compared it to Jefferson Airplane, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Hot Tuna and of course to Cat Stevens. Interestingly enough I have hardly really listened to any those bands but apparently my music sounds much more like those bands than those that I would name as my influences. My background in music reaches into the early years of his childhood, singing around the piano with my family. By the age of 8, I had landed a role as Winthrop in a local production of the Broadway classic, The Music Man. This role inspired me to continue his musical explorations by picking up the trumpet. At age 12, I wrote my first song on the piano (with vocals and lyrics) for a contest at his elementary school. I won the contest at the Elementary School level and went on to compete in the school district. By the time I arrived in junior high school, there wasn't a need for trumpet players in the band so I learned how to play the Tuba. I continued playing the tuba for six years and was offered a scholarship in the marching band to play tuba, which I declined. While in college, I started playing the acoustic guitar. Within months I was learning riffs from Eric Clapton's Unplugged tablature book and performing covers of Clapton's and other songs at the dormitories at the University of Utah. At age 22, I started writing music again and wrote "The Well", which was recorded recently in my home studio as a collaboration over the internet with Kim Novak from Austin, TX. Now at age 26, I have moved to Atlanta and am recording and producing my own music in my home studio. In addition to acoustic guitar, I have added keyboards, bass guitar, bongo drums, techno loops and drum computers to my productions. In the past year, I have made my music available for free download/streaming on several sites on the internet since I find great pleasure in sharing it with people who get something out of it. I have networked and collaborated with other musicians all over the world in this time and have been the beneficiary of some interesting opportunities... The one that means the most to me is that through some of these channels that I've established, I'm being given the opportunity to play my music in front of a large crowd (don't know how many people but I've been led to believe between 5 and 10 thousand) in August in Fort Collins, Colorado which is a fund raising event for a new Youth Activities Center for the city. I've always wanted to play in front of a large group of people but without my connections I probably would never have the opportunity. I have also within the past year accumulated over 25,000 plays on mp3.com. Again, something I never would have dreamed possible before I found out that I could put my music on the internet. I have no aspirations to become a star by any means, but I do believe that my songs have a unique message...and that there are people in the world who this message needs to reach. I don't know who these people are, but if they are looking and seeking out what I have to say they will find it

Group Members Eric Steffensen with occasional appearances by Kim Novak, TJ Higley and Ted Lehmann

Instruments acoustic guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, bongo drums and vocals

Albums There is life after tobasco, Never Say I Told You So EP

Press Reviews From David Manning, retired film critic: When Love Dies: Picture the Electric Prunes on tour with Ozzy Osbourne. Well, perhaps not enough reverb nor delay effects for that. Aye, aye aye - none of that. Just straight ahead psychedelic acousto-rock. This is different! Originality: 4 ‡ Repeat Listen Rating: 3 ‡ Sounds: 4 ‡ Production: 4 ‡ Overall: 4 ‡ Audience: People who are offended by the word Starship following the name Jefferson. Praise: It's true. Don't change a damned thing or I will have to choke you.

Location Alpharetta, GA - USA

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