Meet Stephen Feldman

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephen Feldman.

Hi Stephen, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
More than TV, more than the movies, more than the theater my first and abiding love affair has been with songs. I remember being on my Schwinn stingray bicycle with my transistor radio and hearing Simon and Garfunkel singing “and here’s to you Mrs. Robinson” Jesus loved her more than she would know. She was hiding something in the cupboard with her cupcakes. What in the world was going on? I had no idea but I was singing along.

At the age of 18 much like King Arthur pulling Excalibur from a rock, I walked into our local guitar shop and pulled a Lord nylon string guitar off the shelf of my local music store. I learned some chords. I wrote my first song. I went to school in Greeley Colorado. I headlined at the Holiday Inn. I quit school and moved to Los Angeles in 1980.

I wound up at The Great American food and Beverage company. It was on the corner of La Cienega and Santa Monica. It was a restaurant with singing waiters. To be more accurate Singer-songwriting waiters and bartenders and busboys. There I earned my advanced degree in songwriting and performing.

That has led to 9 albums with my band Poppa’s Kitchen, with my musical partner Bob Romanus who many know as Damone from Fast Times at Ridgemont High fame. I also have two solo records with a third “Welcome to the Whammy Bar” to be released in May.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The artistic part of the journey has been amazingly smooth. I have always found the pursuit of creativity to be incredibly rewarding and drama free. There are so many wonderful expressive genuine artists to meet in Los Angeles, What a pleasure! However, when I pulled up to the corner of art & commerce, that was a big struggle. Financial security or financial pursuit and the arts. What does it mean to be a successful artist? What does it mean to be successful? Is that an inner answer? Outer answer? Does it mean how many followers I have or what I am following?

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am most proud of a body of work that continues to evolve and holds interest and fascination for me and others. I am able to get complex ideas and emotions across in a simple heartfelt way with a sense of humor. That I get to do that through the vehicle of a song is so beautiful. I can sing about something that I think is important or funny or both and do it in under 4 minutes. I don’t really look at it as setting me apart from others, but rather connecting to others in a life-affirming manner.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
I think my favorite childhood memory is when I was named “Outstanding Camper” at Chicago White Sox Boys Camp. I was surrounded by so much love I thought I was going to pass out.

Contact Info:

• Website: Stephenfeldman.bandzoogle.com
• Instagram: @bittersweetsteve
• Facebook: @bittersweetsteve