Steve Smith

Steve Elliott Smith (born on August 21, 1954 in Whitman, Massachusetts) is an American drummer who has worked with hundreds of artists in his career, but is mostly known for being the drummer of the rock band Journey during their peak years of success. Modern Drummer magazine readers voted him the #1 All-Around Drummer five years in a row. In 2001, Modern Drummer named Steve as one of the Top 25 Drummers of All Time, and in 2002 he was voted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame.

Biography
At age nine, in 1963, Smith began studying the drums with local Boston area teacher Bill Flanagan, who played in big bands in the swing era. Smith performed in the usual school band program and garage bands while in his teens, but also began to broaden his performing experience by playing in a professional concert band and the big band at local Bridgewater State College. After high school, he attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. Smith toured with jazz violinist Jean-Luc Ponty, was the drummer on the last Focus album Focus con Proby. as well as Ronnie Montrose before joining the rock band Journey in 1978. He occupied the drum chair from late 1978 through mid- 1985. Smith left the band in 1985, but he returned in 1995 for the band's 1996 comeback album, Trial by Fire. In the interim, he played with Journey offshoot The Storm.

He has also worked as a session musician for pop artists such as Mariah Carey, Andrea Bocelli, Elisa, Vasco Rossi, Zucchero, Savage Garden, Bryan Adams, as well as world musicians such as Zakir Hussain and Sandip Burman. Additionally, he has played with various jazz artists including Mike Mainieri's Steps Ahead, Wadada Leo Smith, Tom Coster, Ahmad Jamal, Dave Liebman, Larry Coryell, Victor Wooten, Mike Stern, Randy Brecker, Scott Henderson, Frank Gambale, Stuart Hamm, Dweezil Zappa, Anthony Jackson, Aydın Esen, Torsten de Winkel, George Brooks, Michael Zilber, Steve Marcus, Andy Fusco, Kai Eckhardt, Lee Musiker, Howard Levy, Oteil Burbridge, Jerry Goodman, Tony MacAlpine and Bill Evans. Smith also leads his own jazz group, Vital Information.

In 1994 Smith was invited by Rush drummer Neil Peart to perform in a tribute album, Burning for Buddy: A Tribute to the Music of Buddy Rich, to legendary drummer Buddy Rich, who inspired both drummers' careers and techniques. Smith performed "Nutville", and was invited to return for the second tribute album, Burning for Buddy: A Tribute to the Music of Buddy Rich, Vol. 2, where he performed "Moment's Notice".

2001 was the year Modern Drummer magazine named Smith as one of the Top 25 Drummers of All Time. The following year, he was voted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame. In 2003, his Hudson Music DVD Steve Smith Drumset Technique - History of the U.S. Beat was voted the #1 Educational DVD of the year, while in the same year, Smith recorded two albums with Buddy's Buddies, a quintet composed of Buddy Rich alumni, and released two CDs on the Tone Center label. Both were recorded live at the famous London jazz club Ronnie Scott's. They are "Very Live at Ronnie Scott's Set One & Set Two."

In 2007, Steve Smith and Buddy's Buddies were renamed "Steve Smith's Jazz Legacy". The band now pays tribute to many great jazz drummers in addition to Buddy Rich. In 1989, Smith headlined the Buddy Rich Memorial Scholarship Concert held in New York City, performing a duet with fellow drummer Marvin "Smitty" Smith.

Having received his first drum kit at age two, Smith began taking drum lessons at age nine with Bill Flanagan. He got his first “real” drum set when he was 12 years old. Many nights a walk past Steve's Harvard street home you could hear him practicing in a small shed in his back yard. He played with both school bands and garage bands during his teens. His first “paid gig” was with a garage band. He graduated from high school in 1972. He joined with the Lin Biviano big band at 19, and played with them for two years. Although many of his peers have said that "personally Steve can come across a bit standoffish at times", he still is a good technician.

Smith studied with Alan Dawson at Berklee. He was voted “top drummer” in 2001. In the early 1990s, Smith studied with Freddie Gruber and as a result, his playing style completely changed.

Equipment and style
Steve Smith uses his own Vic Firth Signature Sticks, which feature an elongated tip with a long shoulder and short taper, 16" long and .555" in diameter.

Steve also uses DW Hardware, Roland Electronics, Shure Microphones, DW Pedals, Puresound Snare Wires and Remo Drumheads.

Smith is primarily a traditional grip player, though he also uses matched grip.

In the Journey video Faithfully, Steve carries a Stokke brand baby carrier up the stairs of a private jet.

Steve Smith 30th Anniversary Kit

 * Sonor Beechwood Drums & Zildjian Cymbals:
 * Drums — Birdseye Amber Finish
 * 8x8" Tom
 * 10x8" Tom
 * 12x8" Tom
 * 14x14" Floor Tom
 * 16x16" Floor Tom
 * 12x5" Snare Drum
 * 14x5.5" Sonor Cast Steel Snare (w/Phonic Lugs)
 * 20x16" Bass Drum (w/ Felt Strips)


 * Cymbals — Zildjian
 * 14" A Armand Hi-Hats
 * 22" K Dark Medium Ride
 * 20" K Constantinople Flat Ride
 * 19" Armand "Beautiful Baby" Ride (w/Rivets)
 * 18" A Armand Thin Crash
 * 18" A Custom Rezo Crash
 * 9" K Custom Hybrid Splash

Selected discography

 * Lin Biviano - L.A. Expression (single)  (1975)
 * Jean-Luc Ponty - Enigmatic Ocean (1977)
 * Journey - Evolution (1979)
 * Journey - Departure (1980)
 * Journey - Captured (1980)
 * Journey - Dream, After Dream (1980)
 * Journey - Escape (1981)
 * Tom Coster - T. C. (1981)
 * Journey - Frontiers (1983)
 * Vital Information - Vital Information (1983)
 * Bryan Adams - Reckless (Heaven) (1984)
 * Tony MacAlpine - Edge of Insanity (1985)
 * Journey - Raised on Radio (Positive Touch, The Eyes of a Woman, Why Can't This Night Go On Forever) (1986)
 * Dweezil Zappa - My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama (1988)
 * Richie Kotzen - Richie Kotzen (1989)
 * Frank Gambale - Note Worker (1991)
 * Journey - The Ballade (1991)
 * Vital Information - Vitalive! (1991)
 * Mariah Carey - Emotions (1991)
 * Jeff Watson - Lone Ranger (1992)
 * Buddy Rich Big Band - Burning For Buddy Vol. 1 (1994)
 * Montreal Drum Festival - Interdependance (1995)
 * Journey-Trial by Fire (1996)
 * Francesco De Gregori - Prende E Lasciare (1996)
 * Buddy Rich Big Band - Burning For Buddy Vol. 2 (1997)
 * Journey - Greatest Hits Live (1998)
 * Larry Coryell - Cause and Effect (1998) with Tom Coster, Victor Wooten
 * Vital Information - Global Beat (5.1 DTS remix) (1998)
 * Scott Henderson/Steve Smith/Victor Wooten - Vital Tech Tones (1998)
 * Frank Gambale/Stu Hamm/Steve Smith - Show Me What You Can Do (1998)
 * Stu Hamm - Merry Axemas (Sleigh Ride) (1998)
 * Tina Arena - In Deep (No Shame) (1998)
 * Savage Garden - Affirmation (1999)
 * Tony MacAlpine - Chromaticity (2000)
 * Journey - Essentials (2000)
 * Frank Gambale/Stuart Hamm/Steve Smith - "GHS 3" (2003)
 * Journey - Charlie's Angels Full Throttle Soundtrack (2003)
 * Steve Smith & Buddy's Buddies - Very Live at Ronnie Scott's, Set One (2003)
 * Steve Smith & Buddy's Buddies - Very Live at Ronnie Scott's, Set Two (2003)
 * Journey - Live in Houston, 1981 (DVD/CD) (2005)
 * Y&T - Ten (Y&T album)