Steven Springer, guitarist dies at age 60 of cancer

Posted: Sep 12, 2012 at 9:45 AM [Sep 12, 2012]

Guitarist Steven Springer, a local musican with international fame, who had been battling lung cancer for several years, died on Monday evening peacefully at his home, surrounded by his loved ones. Steven will be remembered for his beautiful music, as well as his charitable works and generosity.

Steven Springer was an accomplished and soulful songwriter and innovative fingerstyle guitarist, with his roots firmly planted in reggae, soca and calypso. His unique musical style is a melting pot of jazz, reggae, latin, blues, rock and R&B, which combine to form a very refreshing and exceptional sound that’s easy on the ears and cheers the heart. When watching Steven perform, audiences from around the world have been witness to an artist delivering his music with energy, conviction and raw emotion.

Born in Trinidad, in the West Indies, Steven Springer was inspired by the melodic lilting sound of soca and calypso, and started playing guitar at a young age. Steven was intrigued by the fusion of many different cultures and beautiful natural features of Trinidad. He started a band while in high school, and quickly became a very popular and sought-after guitarist, and was a regular fixture at local dances and parties. In his early twenties, Steven moved to Phoenix, Arizona and formed a band called Sanctuary, which rose to fame, winning local awards for “Band of The Year” for three consecutive years, as well as “Album of the Year,” during the 1980’s. Touring worldwide, Springer was a featured artist at the 1988 World’s Fair in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, performing with the Trinidad Calypso Band.

Upon returning to the United States, Springer joined Hugh Borde’s world famous Trinidad Tripoli Steel Band, performing and recording with them for over ten years. Among other numerous awards and honors, Steven was chosen “Best Guitar Player,” every year from 1990 to 1993, at the annual Detroit Music Awards.

He later played and recorded for several years with Nite Flight and also formed a rock fusion power trio with drummer Muruga Booker and bassist Dave Sharp.

Throughout his career Steven recorded and produced over twenty-five albums/CD’s alongside many of Caribbean music’s most popular acts, as well as numerous jingles for radio and television.

After he was diagnosed with cancer, Steven has reinvented himself as the “Cancer Assassin” and performed at many fund raisers and benefits for the Cancer Society as well as other charities and causes.

Steven is survived by his mother Leonora, his wife Denise and three children, Venissa, John Paul and Sarah, as well as three grandchildren, Lilly, Hudson and Christian.

There will be no funeral services, but there will be a celebration of his life at a later date to be announced.

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