Name: Stephen Paul AKA Esteban
Age: 67 but music keeps me young and rockin’!
Title: Guitar Whisperer, Entertainer, Papa
Married/Single: Single
Kids: 3 kids and 2 grandkids
City you live in: Las Vegas, baby!
A typical day in my life includes…
I go through my workout routine which includes light stretching and resistance and my friendly inversion table for my back health. I try to get in at least 2 hours of scales in on the guitar. I am a total foodie but I try and start the day off with some healthy steel cut oats with cinnamon, nuts and almond milk. Then either I am heading to a gig/PR/studio or I am organizing/chatting/practicing with my daughter and violinist Teresa Joy. Always trying to stay on the same page with what’s going on in our musical world.
I was born…
in Steel City USA…Pittsburgh, PA.
My favorite thing about Arizona…
is the sheer beauty of nature in this most incredible State! The magnificent saguaros, The Grand Canyon, beautiful Sedona, quaint Prescott with a cowboy historical setting, soaring pines in the north, wonderful high desert flora and fauna in a pristine beauty everywhere else. Plus, a fond memory of the Hyatt Gainey Ranch, where I was artist in residence for almost 10 years back in the 1990’s.
I’m listening to…
The Avett Brothers, another family band! These brothers are incredible people as well as lyricists. They go as deep as it gets with their lyrics, just beautiful. My daughter and I caught their documentary “May it Last” and it really inspired us! Making music is incredible, but making music with your family helps take it to a whole other level.
My family…
plays on my Johnny Cash Tribute album “Wear the Black” and my daughter, Teresa Joy, is my full-time sidekick violinist. We all would watch “The Sound of Music” as the girls were growing up and have always loved the family band connection.
If I could have dinner with anyone, it would be…
the Father of the Guitar, Andres Segovia. I ate once with him back in 1976 in his beautiful home on Avenida Concha Espina in Madrid, and I would love to do THAT again!
One thing I cannot live without…
my beloved guitar.
When I was younger, I wanted to be…
a musician, from day one and here I am doing concerts all over and having such a great time moving people’s hearts every time we play!
I’m inspired by…
people who came from nothing and from sheer will and desire accomplished great things on their own.
The one person who motivates me is…
Ravi Shankar.
If I could change anything in the world, it would be…
give ourselves permission to change what needs to be changed. Try and raise each other up more and really try to be better. Connect with those we love more.
The perfect day would be…
playing a concert on a tranquil beach with a great sound system and a bunch of people jumping and dancing in the sand!
My first job was…
teaching guitar on the ping pong table in the basement of my childhood home in Pgh.
My favorite escape…
a great glass of wine with friends! Along with some brie and green apples and fresh cracked walnuts, yummmm.
My life…
is rewarding and I am very blessed to feel like we are just getting started!
I’m currently working on…
a new studio album and videos to go along.
Always…
make every moment golden!
Never…
hold hate in your heart.
Favorite Quote…
“Carpe Diem”.
Biggest Dream…
to continue to connect with people on a global scale and share our music and hearts for many years to come.
My Pet Peeve(s)…
when a sound tech thinks they know how my guitar should sound better than me and my crew, LOL.
***
See Esteban perform LIVE with Teresa Joy on Saturday, March 24, 2018 at Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch for their ‘Concerts Under the Stars’ series. Tickets are available at hyattscottsdale.tix.com.
