The Aviator

Steve Morse, guitar virtuoso (and pilot), may have broken out of relative obscurity courtesy of the classic British band Deep Purple, but he never went, so to speak, native. A full-blooded American, he was pancakes and maple syrup, not black pudding and fried egg.

Morse first came to the attention of the music world through his band Dixie Dregs. He possibly entered the consciousness of those based in the UK courtesy of the BBC's Radio 1 Friday Rock Show that kicked off every week with his Dixie Dregs composition 'Take It Off The Top'.

The mid-eighties saw Morse driving along arena band Kansas - darlings of US FM radio. By the mid-nineties he was ensconced in Deep Purple, helping re-build their career. His contributions to eight Deep Purple studio albums were immense. After nearly three decades, Morse's time with the band came to a sad end has he took the difficult decision to care for his ailing wife.

In a career spanning half a century, Steve Morse's music has touched on European classical traditions, as well as blues, jazz, country and rock 'n' roll... genres that are unashamedly American. Consistently voted number one by guitar magazines, Morse is both a musician's musician as well as a fan's favourite.

The conductor Paul Mann, who worked extensively with Deep Purple, said of Morse, 'He was born with that instrument in his hands. I know a lot of classical musicians who envy that kind of relationship with an instrument.'

American virtuoso... and aviator. This is the story of the life and music of Steve Morse.