Steve Morse - Classic Rock Riff Medley / Intro

[Big Jer]

One of the best rock guitarists that unfortunately many people have never heard of. Here is Steve Morse playing some classic rock riffs as an intro to Deep Purple's classic riff, Smoke on the Water. (This is just the intro medley)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww-5b2we1_I 

[Mark M]

Oh yeah, Steve is the man on guitar but he chose to play non-comercial music for many years so no one got to hear his band on the radio. I read about him in a 1978 Guitar Player magazine and have been a fan ever since. At that time he had a band called Dixie Dregs that later became known simply as "The Dregs". Their music was a mix of country, rock, jazz and classical and no vocals. They were my favorite band for several years.

I'm not sure what year the Dregs disbanded but it was in the mid 90's that Steve joined Deep Purple as the lead guitarist following a short stint by Joe Satriani. I have the first DP album featuring Steve and it's not bad but it's not the Dregs.

When I hear the name Steve Morse this is what I think of:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2nKkn9c4M0

[Big Jer]

Thanks Mark, that was a really nice tune that I didn't remember. Also, thanks for adding some history for those that never heard of him.

My favorite Dixie Dregs tune was always 'Cruise Control', so I went searching for it. The best YT video I could find, was a later Steve Morse Band version. The video is a little shaky & the audio is not so great, but it's still worth watching...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ldgEygmBDk 

[Mark M]

Yep, Cruise Control is a great song from one of the later Dregs albums. I really dig the early stuff the most and I believe that I still have every Dixie Dregs/Dregs album on vinyl  

Here's a good early tune showing their country side. Steve is a redneck at heart and always put at least one hard core bluegrass style song on every album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VohubM8Hls4

[Singin Jimmy]

I haven't been out here in a while and have been catching up a bit today.
Great Vids.

[Big Jer]

That was some mighty fine pickin' & fidlin'!!!  

Thanks Mark!

[Seymouro]

Loved the "Whole Lotta Love" and "You Really Got Me" intros...been listening to this guy back to Kansas and the Dixie Dregs. He is amazing!

[Mark M]

I forgot that Steve was in Kansas for one album called "Power" in the mid 80's. I think I still have that on vinyl and I remember it because it was the last album I bought before (finally) switching over to CD's. Too bad he didn't stick with those guys because I always thought that the Dregs sounded a bit like Kansas. Who knows what the reason but IMO he fit better with Kansas that Deep Purple. Don't get me wrong, I like some of the stuff he's done with DP but he's taken them in a different direction and the basic sound is not the classic DP that I want to hear.

[JoeMan]

Wow, Steve just kills it on Hereafter.  This tune is a great representation of their body of work.  Great skill set throughout the band, but Steve has been one of my very favs ever since Mark let me hear him when I was much younger.  Beautiful chops on the Bash as well...I forwarded that one on to my old neighbor James...he likes them pickers n' grinners.  :-)

Thanks Jer - excellent choice of topic!