It was in Black Creek that Steve learned the important elements in what it takes to perform a show that people will understand and enjoy. How to entertain without compromising the art of the music. It was in this band that Steve developed his style of covering other writer's music with his own personal twist. He never saw the point in learning a song note for note, rather he always preferred to do it a little differently, his own way. It was in Black Creek that he gained the experience of working all venues, large and small, and gained tons of experience in the recording studio, writing, producing and recording various Black Creek projects, jingles and film soundtracks.

At the same time he was in Black Creek, as all through his career, he was always working as a bass player and back up vocalist with other artists in the Toronto scene. The list is too long to remember but it included such talents as Willie P. Bennet, Barb Duggan, Kim Dolittle, The Frigidaires, Blair Packham, Chris Whitely, Mark Haines, Jamie Snyder, Rick Bauer, Conrad Kipping, Margaret Chrystal, Bill Garrret & Curly Boy Stubbs and more.
Here's an album the Steve played on with singer songwriter Joe Wood.


Live at the Richmond Inn circa 1979 click to read liner notes

In 1978 Black Creek broke up but within a week Steve was hired to play piano in Nancy Ryan's Musical Ride. Nancy Ryan was a local country singer putting together a high profile band with some amazing musicians. She and her manager Stan Campbell, a dee-jay at CFGM (the country station in Toronto at the time) were long time fans of Black Creek and desperately wanted at least one guy from Black Creek to be in her new band. When Steve told them that piano was not his "first'" instrument, they didn't care and hired him right away at the audition. The band had a fabulous bass player ( Billy Scullion) and drummer who had just finished recording Ray Materick's new album, steel guitarist Steve Crosgrey, and hot guitarist Al Macumber. Unfortunately despite huge potential, after six weeks of rehearsal and only two live appearances the band broke up due to personality conflicts. It hadn't taken long for Steve to realize how special Black Creek really was.