Steve Parton, a guitarist and vocalist, was born in Jonquière, Québec, Canada in 1971. He began playing guitar at the age of ten years while living in Dundas, Ontario. Further studying brought him to London, Ontario and to Montreal, where he studied classical guitar. In Toronto, Parton also studied fingerstyle guitar with Canada's premier acoustic guitarist, Don Ross. Classical guitar instructors have included masters Alexander Dunn, Davis Joachim and Norbert Kraft.

In the 1990's, Parton performed several times with a full symphony orchestra, a claim few guitarists can make. He and his band (then called The Bremen Town Musicians) were guest soloists with The Vancouver Island Symphony, conducted by Marlin Wolfe. For this concert, Parton scored his own original compositions for full orchestra. In later performances, Steve played solo classical guitar with the orchestra, and later with a chamber orchestra, made up of members of the Vancouver Island Symphony. And in a more intimate setting - in 1999, Steve was hired, with British cellist Kathy Stacey, to perform at the birthday party of Microsoft CEO Bill Gates.

Parton's principle musical outlet, The Steve Parton Band, is best descibed in the following Press Kit excerpt:

The Steve Parton Band is a Hamilton, Ontario-based quintet whose tight, imaginative vocal harmonies and powerful guitar playing are laced with the cello and violin, and backed by bass and drums. They are unique, dynamic and unforgettable. The band’s live performance is energetic yet subtle. It showcases five unique, talented musicians incorporating rock, folk and Celtic, with classical overtones, encompassed by Parton's inventive songwriting.

In addition to the Steve Parton Band, Steve plays professionally as a session guitarist (live and studio), as well as in the classic-rock cover band, The Relics (www.therelics.ca), and also in the Avalon String Trio (www.avalonstrings.com)

Refer to the News/Concerts page of this site for information on upcoming gigs.

Steve is a resident of Dundas, Ontario, Canada.

"These four fine artists (Parton with the Bremen Town Musicians) presented themselves as if they were at Carnigie Hall. They will be there. The orchestral arrangements were brilliant, calling for the full range of talent in this orchestra."
      - Bill deCarteret, official Vancouver Island Symphony Critic

"There is no arguing Parton's musical genius."
      - Nanaimo Daily News, BC

"The brilliance of The Bremen Town Musicians' talent is indisputable."
     - Vancouver Island Symphony

"A refreshing foray into the magic of fusion and a generation-bridging blend with innovation and tradition... a historically unique concert."
      - Cosmic Debris (Musicians' Magazine, Vancouver Island)

Steve Parton is a member of:

- SOCAN: Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada
- BMI: Broadcast Music, Incorporated (USA)
- VGS: Victoria Guitar Society