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Steve was beating out a rhythm in his mother's womb before his
debut on April 11, 19??, the boomer years. Sorry, it's a
mystery, you're guess is as good as mine. 4-11-boomer. He
was born in Alhambra to Warner and Jeannie Jenkins.
Jeannie was an accomplished homemaker and also dabbled in
other areas such as banking. Warner's talent was the power
of the pen. Newspapers were his love up through today,
still scribbling for the Alhambra Post Advocate. Pick
up a copy and look for choice words from Warner Jenkins. Warner
has been known to give great introductions for his favorite band
at the Alhambra Spring Fests. Although, sometimes it would
be more appropriate to just call them Steve and the Classics. Steve
has two sisters, Denise, now living in Arizona,
and Dulcy who works for the City of Alhambra Chamber. Dulcy
used to be in a band with Steve, she plays guitar. Sometimes
the sibling energy boiled right off the stage and out of the
practice sessions. Originally Steve's family hailed out of
Redondo Bch., but Alhambra/Pasadena is were the home is.
Education took place in Granada Elementary and then Alhambra
High School.
During the developmental years, Steve found rhythm
in everything from rain drops, jack hammers, seasons, birds
chirping, things falling down the stairs, railroad tracks,
pencils tapping, ball bouncing, pots and pans, cardboard boxes,
until that glorious day that Mom and Dad gave in to his first
drum set in 1966, a beautiful Gretsch. Steve also picked
up a little trumpet, but drums would forever be his first and
only true blue love. His desire and hunger to know everything
about this primitive musical instrument led him to PCC College,
Dick Grove Music Workshops, Murray Spievack and Drum City
Hollywood for some formal education. Informally, he
studied records, tapes, videos and his idols in person and would
copy and repeat until the method and sound was perfected. Once,
while driving his Nissan pick up truck with the shell on back
(which was finally retired to the grave yard and replaced with a
Jeep), a then new Tower of Power song came on the radio with Dave
Garibaldy at the drums. The beat was so mesmerizing, Steve
had to pull off the freeway and stop so he could listen and
understand what was going on. The next stop was the music
store for an album purchase.
Steve's influences and idols
(mostly drummers) are the following: Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa,
Sonny Payne (Count Basie's), Dave Garibaldy, Beatles, Rascals,
TOP, Funk Attack, just to name a few that come to mind. No
kind or style of music is to cool or hooky. Steve has
expressed enthusiasm for Country, Funk, Jazz, Reggae, Swing,
Rock, Heavy Metal and Classical, as long as it is from the soul
and real. He is not very fond of Disco or Rap, mainly
because of their monotonous use of drum machines, the scourge of
drummers. Although he does recognize the talent for arrangements
in those fields of music.
His favorite color is Blue, favorite car is Jeep but he would
rather be riding his Intruder Motorcycle. When it comes to
sports he likes baseball and wishes the Dodgers would come back
to the top and kick some ass. He's a bitter L. A. Football fan.
Hobbies and Activities include: drums,
motorcycles, hiking, running, exploring, 4wheeling,concerts,
train travel and he has a list of things he wishes to have done before he passes
on. One of those was a ride on a blimp, which he
got to do because of his father's influences.
Steve owns a Pearl and his pride and joy is
presently his red Gretsch with rack mount hardware.
The bands he performed with are the following:
August, Play Action, Justice, Harvest, Jawbone, Operators, II +
II (the band with his sister Dulcy), and of course Ronny &
the Classics. Some of the memorable performances for him
was to open for the Temptations, Tony Bennett, Chubby Checker in
New York and Little Richard for Planet Hollywood.
He presently resides in Pasadena.
On New Year's Day, 2001, Steve
suffered a vicious attack by a pack of approximately 15 wild dogs while
jogging in a rural area of Rancho Mirage, just east of Palm Springs.
We nearly lost him, but by the grace of God, a good Samaritan, support
from families and friends and substitute drummers, he made his way back
after only a month of hospitals and rehabilitation. He doesn't know
which is worst: the attack and hospitalization or the jokes he's had to
endure once he recovered, like "Who Let The Dogs Out...." and
"Our poster child for Kibbles and Bit".
On a personal note, I've known Steve for
many years. I've always admired his loyalty, perseverance
and commitment to his family, friends, band and audience. His
talent goes without saying. This then is the Steve you've
seen and heard performing live and on CD and video.
I hope
you enjoyed this insight and if you have any further questions,
e-mail us or send your inquiries to Classic Productions, P. O.
Box 8492, La Crescenta, CA, 91224-0492.
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Steve (Stix) Jenkins 
