Steve Carlyle

Steve Carlyle “Biography” “The Man And His Music”

1210 8th Street Apt. 6 www.stevecarlyle.com

Rockford, Illinois 61104
E-Mail: Genesis440@hotmail.com

February 8, 2005

Steve Carlyle was born in Rockford Illinois, August 15th 1955 to Russell A. Petrie and Virginia M. Petrie. His father worked as Mechanical Engineer at Woodward Governor. Mrs. Petrie worked as a full time Home maker. Growing up as a child Steven’s talents were recognized at an early age. In fact, as early as five years old. His teachers realized that this small boy had a beautiful little voice, and was encouraged to sing in the school choir. His mother used to love to hear him sing, and knowing it pleased her so much, he would sing literally all the time. In the year 1966 Steven’s mother past away, she was only forty-five years old. To say the very least, this was a turning point in his little life, that had some major impacts on him emotionally. His father Mr. Petrie traveled a lot of the time while Steven was growing up. This caused the bond between his mother and him to even be greater. While at the same time, the bond between his father and himself was all but hanging by a thread, a very delicate one at that ! Steven began writing poetry in 6th grade, spending many hours after he would get home from school writing and writing.! By the time Steven turned fourteen he got his very first guitar, He began writing music nearly immediately. With the tools he had been God given, he actually began composing complete songs. They weren’t just songs, but rather stories that had been trapped inside since the time his mother passed away. Steven’s biggest influences were the Beatles. He would spend hours figuring out how to play the songs he had grown to love and with much success !. Steven had come from a line of singers and song writers on his father’s side of the family. Genes have a funny way of getting passed on. Tommy James of the former “ Tommy James and The Shondel’s was a second cousin on Steven’s father’s side. No doubt that the gift was certainly passed on. Then in 1974 Steven entered the US Navy and was stationed in San Diego, California. This provided him the opportunity to meet some new musicians. Latter that same year he was transferred to Portland, Oregon and from that time on his musical journey began ! While still living in Portland Steven met up with a local musician Chas Bergman, a multi-talented music man. Chas could play acoustic guitar, bass, Congo’s and Recorder. The two spent hours practicing and playing out at many different coffee houses and taverns. In the year of 1976 Steven and Chas met up with a girl named Lynn Gotlieb. This girl had a voice like an angel. They rehearsed for a couple of weeks. Then Steven decided it was time to go into the recording studio for the first time in any of their lives ! Steven booked recording time at a small local recording studio called “Tomb Stone Recording Studio”. It was to be a night that the three would never forget the rest of their lives ! All of the songs were written by Steven Carlyle. Steven sang lead vocals and played acoustic guitars Chas Bergman played acoustic guitars, bass, Congo’s and Recorder. Lynn Gotlieb sang all the back vocals, and were they ever beautiful! That recording session lasted from 6:30 pm until 3:00 am the next morning. When the hard work had been done, they all sat back in the control booth and listened to what the three of them had created ! It was amazing ! A mixture of folk,, soft rock and jazz. The recording engineer complimented them on the beautiful job. He remarked that it was an honor to be the one to engineer the session! Eleven songs had been finished in a single night. Steven’s life had been plagued with many hard falls, failed marriages, and the next thirty years of drug abuse. Music always found it’s way out ! The inner expression, a manifestation of words and music all tied together with the music of a destined child. Loss of family after family generated groves of music. Steven returned home after the service where he met up with a local musician song writer whose home was Scotland, John Brandon. These two became good friends. Then in 1977 the two of them went into a local recording studio called “Audio Trak Recording Studio to record a new song Steven had written shortly after returning home from the service. Steven played acoustic guitars and lead vocals, back vocals. John Brandon played Piano and Bass. A friend of John’s played flute. It turned out exquisite. The song was Yesterdays Dreams without a doubt influenced by Steven’s past losses. Steven began playing for local charities in the Rockford area. He played for The Mill, Kewanies Tinker Cottage Benefit. In 1983 Steve played at the Beatie IS out door benefit. A local public television station Channel 10 had called Steve and asked if they could record his whole performance at the benefit. Of course the answer was yes ! It was aired a few months latter. Then the followin