Spurgin, Steve

STEVE SPURGIN

  • From McKinney, Texas (near Dallas). Now living in Carson City, Nevada.
  • Best known as the bass player and lead vocalist with the band California (three-time winner of IBMA’s Instrumental Group of the Year Award.)
  • A singer-songwriter with many songs to his credit including “Walk in the Irish Rain” and “Speak Softly, Your Talkin’ to My Heart”, a #1 song for Gene Watson.
  • 1972, played drums with a California group called Wild Oats.
  • 1980, played drums with Byron Berline’s band Sundance.
  • 1981, played drums with the Limeliters. Also worked withi Freddy Fender, Mason Williams and Steve Gillette.
  • 1982, became staff songwriter for Reba McIntyre.
  • 1988, formed California with Byron Berline, John Hickman, Dan Crary and John Moore. Played bass and sang lead vocals.
  • 1996, released first solo project Distant Faces (Tricopolis Records).
  • 1998-2000, played bass with Bluegrass Etc. He continues to play occasional dates with this band.
  • 2002, released Tumbleweed Town album (Tricopolis Records).
  • 2004, formed a band called Sawmill Road (broke up in 2010).
  • 2011, released Past Perfect album (Blue Night).
  • 2012, released Folk Remedies album (Blue Night).
  • 2014, authored a memoir (book) titled Skint Knee, Texas: Narratives on the Great Transition.