by Joanne Lorah, Runnemede, NJ

As the mother of a “just beginner” left handed guitar player, I made certain our basement was always open to any and all musicians said son brought home. A bare bones band was formed and they practiced daily. In 1973, then 16 year old son Mike informed me his friend Jerry had heard of this great guitar player in Bethlehem and they were going to visit him to ask if he’d give Jerry lessons. Jerry auditioned––there was silence. And Mike who had gone along for the ride was asked to show his chops. That was Mike’s introduction to 17 year old Steve KIMOCK who he brought home to our basement where he played for me.

I recognized the pure genius of Steve’s playing, even at that early age. Never had I met anyone who was as dedicated to perfecting his craft. Never before had heard the pure tones Steve was able to create with strings! And so my son Mike and Steve became teacher and student, best friends spending hours of practice and playing. Steve shared his insights and Zen like approach to creating music which he continues to follow.

Mike’s father and I drove Steve to New York to buy his first Guitar Lab Explorer by the noted luthier, Charles Lo Bue. Steve currently owns two of only four made. When he was unable to eat, we fed him. And after I heard the Goodman Brothers band at a local club, we drove the car-less Steve to the Goodman family farm where he became part of their band. The Goodmans plus Steve packed up their instruments and headed for San Francisco. Steve became well known in the Bay Area music scene, invited to sit in with every name guitar player of the time, being likened to Jerry Garcia. Garcia himself called Steve his favorite guitar player. I’ve heard deadheads claim Steve as Jerry’s student. Not so! Steve was entirely self taught.

Steve had many bands based in San Francisco over the years, most notably Zero, founded by Steve and drummer Greg Anton, and originally including John Cipollina of Quicksilver Messenger Service fame, coming back to the Philadelphia area several times a year so I was able to see and hear him.

My son Mike and he remained close friends while Mike pursued an academic career attaining his PHD in Psychology all the while earning extra money playing his guitar. Steve and he saw each other several times a year and stayed in phone contact. A few years ago Steve realized a dream of his and bought a farm back in the Lehigh Valley with a large barn turned into a sound studio. There he and his band, the Steve Kimock Band, produced their first CD, EUDEMONIC. Steve continues playing with former members of The Greatful Dead: Phil Lesh’s band, Mickey Hart, Bruce Hornsby, and currently with Bob Weir’s Ratdog. Steve regularly reunites with Zero for a few shows a year, and performs with many of his varied musical colleagues as Steve Kimock and Friends. His son John Morgan still in his teens is already a genius on the drums, and has been sitting in with his Dad since he was very young. In him I find the same drive and abilities his father had at that age.

As for my son Mike, he is a full professor on the staff at Duke University Behavioral Medicine Program and now has time to perform with bands of his own in the Raleigh Durham area. Steve still sits in with Mike’s band once or twice a year, and they have an ongoing exploratory discussion on esoteric musical theory. Together, these two musical explorers provide me with the most rewarding, chilling and satisfying musical experiences of my life.

Steve Kimock’s websites:

www.kimock.com

http://www.myspace.com/stevekimock

Mike Babyak’s websites:

http://www.myspace.com/mikebabyakstriplefret

http://myspace.com/monkeynavigatedrobots