Stephen Wrench
Stephen Wrench | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | February 18, 1951 Syracuse, NY |
| Nationality | American |
| Citizenship | United States |
| Occupation | |
| Organization | Musik and Film |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) |
| Website | stephenwrench |
Stephen Wrench is a Songwriter, Composer, Lyricist, Producer and a Guitarist born in Syracuse, NY.[1] He is best known for having worked with Lynyrd Skynyrd, Toto, Loverboy, Missing Persons, Foghat Eddie and the Cruisers, and Dr. Hook to name a few. Through his latest song “Life’s a Sham,” Stephen has expressed true-life philosophies that come with hard-won wisdom and years of hopes and disappointments. He has been a 6x Grammy Awardee and has won over 50 Gold and Platinum records throughout his career.[2]
Early life and education
Stephen grew up in Syracuse, New York. As a child, he always had a love for music. As a five-year-old, while driving down to Florida to visit his mother’s family, Stephen came across a jukebox and started singing along with it. As an eleven-year-old, he had no interest in music or performing but was more inclined towards sports like football. However, his older brother, Dan, was a musician and worked for a band. Knowing that Stephen could sing, he bribed him for the Optimist show in Fairmount, NY. They won the show and a grand prize, which kickstarted Stephen’s career in music.
Stephen then played in a soul band in high school. After high school, he was offered 5 football scholarships. After visiting Boston College in the summer of 1969, on his way back home to Syracuse, New York, he saw a sign that read “Rock Concert.” He followed the sign not knowing that the concert was Woodstock, and he landed there for ten days, which eventually changed the course of his life. Later, Stephen got invited to Lynyrd Skynyrd, a band formed in Jacksonville, Florida. He worked with them on and off over the next four decades, playing, writing music, and managing tours with them.
Stephen put together several former members of Lynyrd Skynyrd and did about twenty shows throughout Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana. Stephen also performed in Baton Rouge, in Grant Street Music Hall, believed to be the oldest music hall in the US. His performance there lasted for over 3 hours where shows usually lasted for 60 to 75 minutes.
In the mid ’80s, Stephen recorded an album with producer Neil Wilburn, who later walked it into Columbia Records, wherein a deal was offered to him. As a father to 2 young boys back then that he considered as his priority, Stephen declined the offer from Columbia. Later, Neil and Stephen formed a record label, Vine Street Records, which became part of RCA . They did a few semi successful releases, one of which was on the Mets pitcher Dwight Gooden.
Career
Stephen worked with several artists and has produced shows for The Voices of Classic Rock and the Survivor.[3] The partial list of people he has worked with in different capacities include Lynyrd Skynyrd, Toto, Loverboy, Missing Persons, Foghat Eddie and the Cruisers, Dr. Hook, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Bad Company, Tommy Tutone, Survivor, Rossington Collins Band, Rick Springfield, John Anderson, David Allen Coe, Molly Hatchet, Blackfoot, Ozzy Osbourne, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Ryan Starr, Sister Hazel, Blessid Union of Souls, Craig Campbell, Grand Funk Railroad, ABBA, Chad Brock, Michael Peterson, Daryl Worley, Lonestar, Mona Lisa Twins, Sheandoah, Collin Raye, and many more.[4]
Over the past 45+ years, Stephen has jammed with, managed, booked, and produced shows and done radio promotions for legends and indie greats alike. Stephen has penned hundreds of songs in all genres for years—pop, rock, country, R&B, and Americana, to name a few. He has expressed some true-life philosophies that can only come with hard-won wisdom and years of hopes and disappointments through his song “Life’s a Sham,” the title track from his upcoming solo debut album, which he recorded in Nashville. Wrench is also eager to license gems from his treasure trove of songs to film and TV. Some of the songs from his latest album include “Rainbow and The Sun,” “Time to Break All The Rules,” “Smoking Tokin Rollin Man,” to name a few.[5]
Awards
Stephen has been a 6x Grammy Awardee and has won over 50 Gold and Platinum records throughout his career journey.
Other details
Stephen is also the President of Musik and Film, LLC for the past ten years whose Musik Radio Promotions service provides customized radio promotion packages, including a network of 250,000+ radio stations in 180 countries. These campaigns are targeted to 95% of FM stations and major networks around the world.
Stephen’s first first hip hop act was “Melodic Bop” with Artist Misty Blanco the Theatrical Blaquanese Rockstar, formerly known as Mysterious from MTV’s Making The Band 2 with P. Diddy.
Stephen is also a featured interview subject in the Amazon Bestseller Profile of a Hit Songwriter, by Lacie Carpenter and Thornton Cline.
Gallery
In the media
References
- ↑ "Stephen Wrench | Music Producer, Singer And Song-writer". Musik And Film. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
- ↑ "Music Legend Stephen Wrench Releases "Plow"". IndiePulse Music Magazine. 21 October 2021. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
- ↑ "Stephen Wrench my musical journey". metropolitandigital. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
- ↑ "MUSIC LEGEND STEPHEN WRENCH PROCLAIMS HE'S "PLAYED WITH EVERYBODY AND EVERY BAND BUT BEEN A MEMBER OF NOTHING."". KEYS AND CHORDS (in Nederlands). Retrieved 20 March 2022.
- ↑ "Horizon Talk Radio Network UK | Listen on JioSaavn #SaavnOriginals". JioSaavn. Retrieved 20 March 2022.