Biography

Steve McKenna’s path into music began with his family. Encouraged by his parents and inspired by his older sister — a talented pianist who went on to compete successfully in music festivals — Steve followed her lead at an early age. Though he admits she was “more successful than I was,” her influence sparked a lifelong passion for music. As a teenager, Steve would borrow his sister’s rock records, and by the time his friends at school were discovering bands, he was already deep into the sound. Despite starting relatively late — picking up guitar at sixteen and bass at seventeen — his natural ear for music quickly made up for lost time. Looking back, Steve jokes that giving up piano lessons to focus on sport was “a big mistake,” but his musical education continued in a different form. Having never taken formal lessons on guitar or bass, he learned entirely by ear — until, as he puts it, “someone suggested I try using my fingers.” Through the years, Steve has played with and learned from some truly exceptional musicians, calling that experience “the greatest lesson of all.” His career has taken him into the studio and onto stages across the world, contributing to around fourteen albums with acclaimed artists including Bob Catley (Magnum), Danny Vaughn (Tyketto), Millenium, and several of Gary Hughes’s solo projects. Grounded, versatile, and guided by instinct, Steve McKenna remains a respected figure in melodic rock and AOR circles — proof that passion and feel can teach what lessons sometimes can’t.

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