Steve Buckingham

Steve Buckingham began playing guitar in integrated bands in the segregated South when he was 15 rears old. He played with legendary artists such as Percy Sledge, The Impressions, Jackie Wilson, Chuck Berry, The Drifters and many others.

After college he was a studio session guitarist in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Atlanta, GA, Los Angeles and other cities.

The first record he produced, ""I Love The Nightlife"" by Alicia Bridges, became a worldwide hit. This led to Steve moving to Nashville where he continued to produce as well as being named Vice President of A & R for Columbia Records (later Sony).

The special relationship that he develops with artists, musicians and songwriters has yielded Top Ten singles on eleven different charts: Pop, Country, Rhythm & Blues, Jazz, Adult Contemporary, Americana, Bluegrass, Christian, Hispanic, Triple A and Dance.

Among the varied artists he has produced are Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Tammy Wynette, The Chieftains, Sinéad O’Connor, Bettye LaVette, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens), Mindy Smith, Joan Osborne, Melissa Manchester, Ricky Skaggs, Dionne Warwick, Shania Twain, Maria McKee, Brenda Lee, Shana Morrison, Ricky Van Shelton, Loretta Lynn, BJ Thomas, Jazz artists Diane Schuur, Kirk Whalum and Martin Taylor and many others. Guest artists on his projects have included Alison Krauss, Don Henley, John Hiatt, Norah Jones, Shelby Lynn, Nickel Creek, Patty Griffin, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Van Morrison, Nanci Griffith, Bela Fleck, Tower Of Power, Allison Moorer, John Popper, Rosanne Cash, Merle Haggard, Altan, Greg Allman, David Hidalgo (Los Lobos), Kim Carnes, Garth Brooks, Willie Nelson, Vince Gill, The Winans, Patty Loveless, Larry Carlton, Isaac Hayes, Del McCoury, Chet Atkins, Martina McBride, Buddy and Julie Miller, Emmylou Harris and countless others. Steve has also produced music for six motion pictures as well as two CBS television specials. Steve began his career as a studio musician, playing guitar on hundreds of recordings by various artists.

Mr. Buckingham created the course, ""Rhythm & Blues Tore Down The Walls Of Segregation,"" which he taught at Vanderbilt University for ten years.