Biography

Born in Virginia, Stephanie grew up in Norfolk and Virginia Beach, listening to a variety of influences such as the Beatles, Ray Charles, Joni Mitchell, Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor, Duke Ellington, Alison Krauss, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and others.

Playing piano since the age of 3, Stephanie taught herself the ukulele at age 12 before falling in love with the guitar at 15. The autoharp came later, along with the Celtic harp and other stringed instruments, seven in all.

 

Performing at Clubs and upscale Restaurants on North Carolina's Outer Banks, Stephanie began her musical career that took her to California and Florida, performing nightly on the hotel circuit. When she returned to Virginia, she played in Festivals as well and enjoyed giving concerts on the waterside stages in Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach.

Stephanie has performed regularly on TV shows in the Tidewater area, including, The Dick Lamb Show and The Three In The Morning Show.  And, several television commercials, including advertisements for upcoming festivals and happenings in Virginia and a commercial for CBN's 700 Club.

Preferring finger style picking and rhythm patterns to accompany her voice, Stephanie's music is a blend of folk and blues, country and bluegrass, jazz and celtic. A mixture of her musical influences and the other part imagery. Like the intimacy of reading a good book by the fire, Stephanie's music takes you to another place.

"When Sea Shells Dance" CD has a bit of all these musical influences with Stephanie's arrangements on the cover songs, the use of  a Celtic-styled drone on guitar, simulating the bagpipe, on "Amazing Grace," her sweet vocals on "I Love You," the beautifully haunting vocals on "Dreams," the sense of longing and finding oneself  in  "Just Another Song," her sweet rendition of "Water is Wide" and "Danny Boy," the playfulness of "Sunny Beaches" and driving acoustic guitar on the title track, "When Sea Shells Dance."

Stephanie sings all vocals and is playing guitar(s) on all tracks.  Larry Lyles, Jazz violinist for Gypsy Roots and member of the Petersburg Symphony, is playing his beautiful violin and mandolin.  Bass and other musical parts are by the brilliantly talented Cham Laughlin.

 

In remembrance of my dear friend and producer, Cham Laughlin.  You'll always be with me in spirit until we meet again. Stephanie pictured with Producer Cham Laughlin while recording her first CD "When Sea Shells Dance" at his studio in Virginia.  Cham passed away on January 5, 2009.

And special thanks to Songwriters Alan Steele and James Boone for their work on this project. "When Sea Shells Dance" was produced, mixed and mastered at Cham Laughlin's Recording Studio in Disputanta, Virginia. "Above all, I thank our Heavenly Father for blessing me with my family and friends and for the wonderful gift of music." -- Stephanie Tucker Little