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Your Campus, Your Community, Your Life TV10 Click to Watch Steve The Harp Blues Legend Posted by Bob Carroll in Arts on January 7, 2010 Bloomington, Blues Hall of Fame, Education Ambassador,Steve The Harp, The FREE Internet Magazine - All news BLUES in the US! © 2007 - 2009 IllinoisBlues.com Blues Wanderings We made it out to Blue Monday to hear an Illinois musician named Steve The Harp. Steve "The Harp" Mehlberg is one heck of a singer, harmonica player and songwriter. He was recently inducted into the Blues Hall Of Fame. Steve and the band were tearing it up and the crowd loved it. pantagraph.com - Central Illinois New
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Posted by Bob Carroll in Arts on January 7, 2010
Bloomington, Blues Hall of Fame, Education Ambassador,Steve The Harp,
The FREE Internet Magazine - All news BLUES in the US!
© 2007 - 2009 IllinoisBlues.com
Blues Wanderings
We made it out to Blue Monday to hear an Illinois musician named Steve The Harp. Steve "The Harp" Mehlberg is one heck of a singer, harmonica player and songwriter. He was recently inducted into the Blues Hall Of Fame. Steve and the band were tearing it up and the crowd loved it.
Steve "The Harp" Mehlberg plays July 10, 2008, during the Pantagraph Books & Blues Preview Mixer and Social at Canteen bar in downtown Bloomington. (Pantagraph file photo/CARLOS T. MIRANDA)
BLOOMINGTON -- Veteran Bloomington bluesman Steve "The Harp" Mehlberg has been inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame as the first-ever Education Ambassador, a new category for 2010. The local Blues Blowtorch Society nominated Mehlberg, a charter member, for his five years of service as education director and numerous harmonica workshops. Through the workshops in schools and at area blues festivals, more than 3,000 free harmonicas have been distributed to kids in Central Illinois provided by a grant from the Illinois Blues Coalition. Mehlberg provided the instruction. His Blues Hall of Fame induction was October 20, 2009. The Hall of Fame inducts members annually for their historical contribution, impact and overall influence on the blues.
BLOOMINGTON -- Veteran Bloomington bluesman Steve "The Harp" Mehlberg has been inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame as the first-ever Education Ambassador, a new category for 2010.
The local Blues Blowtorch Society nominated Mehlberg, a charter member, for his five years of service as education director and numerous harmonica workshops.
Through the workshops in schools and at area blues festivals, more than 3,000 free harmonicas have been distributed to kids in Central Illinois provided by a grant from the Illinois Blues Coalition. Mehlberg provided the instruction.
His Blues Hall of Fame induction was October 20, 2009. The Hall of Fame inducts members annually for their historical contribution, impact and overall influence on the blues.
WMBD 31 BLOOMINGTON - A local musician will soon be among the greatest musical acts of all time.Steve "The Harp" Mehlberg is being inducted into the National Blues Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Underground Blues Hall of Fame last year.Mehlberg has been playing the harmonica for almost 40 years. He often takes his talents into the classroom to teach students how to play.Mehlberg says he never saw this honor coming. "Really, I was surprised and shocked. My mouth dropped open. I looked at my wife with huge eyes and said, 'That's wonderfulnews,'" he says. Mehlberg will be receiving the certification my mail .
WMBD 31
BLOOMINGTON - A local musician will soon be among the greatest musical acts of all time.Steve "The Harp" Mehlberg is being inducted into the National Blues Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Underground Blues Hall of Fame last year.Mehlberg has been playing the harmonica for almost 40 years. He often takes his talents into the classroom to teach students how to play.Mehlberg says he never saw this honor coming. "Really, I was surprised and shocked. My mouth dropped open. I looked at my wife with huge eyes and said, 'That's wonderfulnews,'" he says. Mehlberg will be receiving the certification my mail .
Bloomington man to be inducted into Blues Hall of Fame
For his five years of service as an education director and numerous harmonica workshops, Steve “The Harp” Mehlberg, a Bloomington native, will be inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame as the first-ever Education Ambassador. Mehlberg was inducted October 20, 2009. Since opening, the Hall of Fame inducts members annually based on their historical contribution, impact and overall influence on the Blues. Randy Hoffman, president of the Blues Blowtorch Society, of which Mehlberg resides as the education committee chair, said communication with the Hall of Fame began after they requested friendship with the society through MySpace. “They became really interested to see what kind of progression we made with our education program, and regularly checked in to see what new things we had accomplished,” he said. About a year and a half ago, the hall of fame informed Hoffman they were accepting nominations for the 2010 induction class, and asked if there were any individuals he had in mind. Mehlberg was mentioned right away. “His name was passed around between the Hall of Fame committee and the advisory board, and I didn’t know he had made it until they called me and mentioned it,” he said. “I received an e-mail from Randy Thursday morning notifying me of my induction. I was very happy to see this accomplishment. I think it reinforces the work that I’m doing which is giving back to my community,” he said.
For his five years of service as an education director and numerous harmonica workshops, Steve “The Harp” Mehlberg, a Bloomington native, will be inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame as the first-ever Education Ambassador. Mehlberg was inducted October 20, 2009. Since opening, the Hall of Fame inducts members annually based on their historical contribution, impact and overall influence on the Blues. Randy Hoffman, president of the Blues Blowtorch Society, of which Mehlberg resides as the education committee chair,
said communication with the Hall of Fame began after they requested friendship with the society through MySpace.
“They became really interested to see what kind of progression we made with our education program, and regularly checked in to see what new things we had accomplished,” he said. About a year and a half ago, the hall of fame informed Hoffman they were accepting nominations for the 2010 induction class, and asked if there were any individuals he had in mind. Mehlberg was mentioned right away. “His name was passed around between the Hall of Fame committee and the advisory board, and I didn’t know he had made it until they called me and mentioned it,” he said. “I received an e-mail from Randy Thursday morning notifying me of my induction. I was very happy to see this accomplishment. I think it reinforces the work that I’m doing which is giving back to my community,” he said.
Alex Reside / Daily Vidette Photo Editor: Steve “The Harp” Mehlberg, future Blues Hall of Fame inductee, practices harmonica in his basement in Bloomington on Monday afternoon.
The song “knocked him out,” and after finding out its blues genre, wanted to discover more similar songs. When he joined the army in 1970, Mehlberg could not continue his piano and trumpet playing abilities due to the size of each instrument, and picked up a harmonica because it could help fill the time. “ Being on guard duty for 12 hours a day, I couldn’t leave the post I was assigned to, so I started to play the harmonica more and more. I continued to adapt my abilities by listening to Little Walter and Muddy Waters albums,” he said. “Those albums knocked me down so hard that I couldn’t do anything but put a harmonica in my mouth. I’ve been playing for almost 40 years now, and it took me almost 30 to nail some of their best licks, which shows you how good they were.” He said besides teaching, being involved in many of the community’s events helps him to continue developing his harmonica skills. The former Normal Fire Department Lieutenant, Mehlberg said he’s still invited back to the firehouse to put on a show for the men in uniform. “It’s another expression of the human emotional feeling and the experience that a person can take can start from the ground level, or techniques, and can grow depending on each individual’s interests,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun, while very educational and informational. It helps the person learn the harmonica by him or herself, and gives
them the ability to carry on by their own willpower. My main goal is to try and bring hope and love through the instrument.”
The best in contemporary blues music and all that other stuff in between that is pleasing to the ears. Check here for reviews of the latest CDs, live shows in Illinois and wherever I roam, and interviews with some of your favorite artists either on the rise or on top of their game. Click on the archives on the right to read all my past reviews!
Congratulations are in order for Bloomington, Illinois native Steve "The Harp" Mehlberg for his induction into the Blues Hall of Fame. In a press release earlier this week, Mehlberg joined the ranks of the Hall of Fame as an official Blues Hall of Fame Education Ambassador. He is the first person to earn that distinction. Steve The Harp, as he's known throughout Central Illinois and the rest of the country, has been a master instructor and teacher with 30 years of music making' experience. Many a blues festival goer can attribute their first harmonica to one of Steve's workshops and classes. You can see Steve and his band gigging around the Bloomington, IL and surrounding area throughout the fall and winter. You can also visit him at his website: http://www.stevetheharpbluesband.com/.
Live Music Steve "The Harp" Throughout his life in Bloomington-Normal, Steve “The Harp” Mehlberg has done a little bit of everything. He served in the Army as a medic and lab technician. He’s been a farm hand, a Normal Fire Department Lieutenant, and was even crowned Mr. Illinois in 1987. But he’s perhaps best known as the area’s finest harmonica player. From his days with the Soul Seekers, playing against bands like the Shattertones at Marty’s Friday Night Dance Party, to playing gigs at old local hangouts like the Layz J Saloon, Red Lion, Polar Lounge and Night Watch, to sharing the stage with legends like Charlie Musselwhite and Joe Bonamassa, Steve “The Harp” has been playing harmonica and singing the blues in Central Illinois for over 50 years. Besides being an artist and songwriter, Steve is also an educator. Along with the Blues Blowtorch Society, Steve gives out free harmonicas and lessons to students all over the Bloomington-Normal area. Town & City caught up with Steve “The Harp” at his home in Bloomington to talk about his musical influences, what it’s like to teach music to the young and the old, and the future of the blues in Central Illinois. Town & City: How did you get into the blues, and what drew you to the harmonica? Steve Mehlberg: That’s a heavy question right there. I was in the United States Army and I was stationed at Fort Baker in Sausalito, California and had a part time job working up at Ghirardelli Wine Cellar. Friday nights there was a guy from Chicago who played the blues and he had a harmonica player that would sit in with him. There were many Friday nights I worked at the wine cellar and at the end of the night I asked the harmonica player one time, “How did you learn to play that harmonica?” and he says, “Get you some Muddy Waters records and just play along.” So that’s exactly what I did. I went to Tower Records in San Francisco and bought a Muddy Waters album (Sail On) and a Little Walter album (Hate to See You Go). When I heard that Little Walter album it grabbed me. I had an epiphany. There’s a song on there called “Rollercoaster” and I couldn’t believe the harmonica player was playing it because I’m a trumpet player, and I said, “That sounds to me sweeter than anything I’ve ever heard in my whole life.” I listened to that album so many times it won’t play anymore. Also, I went and bought a book called Blues Harp. That’s where I came into the word harp. I said, “Why do they call a harmonica a harp?” Well, it’s because it sounds like a harp when you blow through it sometimes. Harmonic can sound like many instruments: trombone, saxophone, guitar—and to me, I’m doing my job if I can make it sound like instruments other than the harmonica. Something else that attracted me was, see, the trumpet is only one note at a time, but when you stick the harmonica far enough in your mouth you can almost play ten holes at once. It has more chord capability. So I started practicing and reading this book. And when I bought my first amplifier and microphone, I used to take my harmonica and turn that amp towards the cornfields and turn it up as loud as it would go and play to the corn. I used to say I had a lot of ears listening to me (laughs). T&C: You’re also an educator of the blues, as well as a teacher of the harmonica. How did you start teaching? SM: It was just a natural progression. My first student was back in 1975. He was a 72 year old gentleman from Quincy, Illinois. He asked me how to play the harmonica so I had him come over and showed him a few things. Harmonica is relatively simple, and he picked it up fast with a lot of practice and by the time he left me he was playing a lot of Americana tunes. I start off with just the basics. The scale and simple songs and what they call intervals and chords—some blues tunes if I’m at a blues festival or if I’m in a school maybe I’ll show them “Row Row Row Your Boat.” I started having more people then come up to me and say, “You play good, how’d you learn that?” And I’d say, “I taught myself,” and they’d say, “You think you can teach me?” and I’d say, “Sure.” And that’s how I started back in ‘75. People coming up to me after gigs and asking T&C: How many students do you have? SM: Right now I have three private students. Over the years I’ve probably had 500 or so. The youngest was 6 months old, my granddaughter, just put it in her mouth and she has fun. The oldest was 85. T&C: You’re a supporter of the Blues Blowtorch Society. What do they do and what’s the blues climate like in Central Illinois? SM: The Blues Blowtorch Society is partners with many organizations: Veterans of Foreign Wars, The Blues Foundation—and they are basically an educative source for people interested in the blues, whether finding out where to go, learning how to play, or whatever. And partly because of them, the blues climate in Illinois has been growing leaps and bounds over the last 20 years. Also thanks to Bruce Bergethon, Frank Black and WGLT. And it’s because of their playing of the blues, Delta Frank in particular, because of airplay, we’ve gotten a lot of listeners. However, the bar scenes and the blues have ebbed in flow much more. Right now there’s been a downturn. We’ve lost a large amount of factory jobs in the area because of political situations and things like that. Also, because of DUI laws, being what they are, people don’t want to go to bars as much and a lot of blues people who do smoke can’t, so that’s a deterrent. We’ve seen less and less patronization of the blues bars even though there’s increased listenership across Central Illinois. But it’s been things like The Blues Blowtorch Society and the Nothin’ But the Blues Festival, bringing in national and international blues musicians to play with local guys, that have made it possible to continue to support the blues. LOG ON TO WWW.STEVETHEHARPBLUESBAND.COM TO LISTEN TO HIS LATEST ALBUM “BACK IN THE BLUES” OR VIEW HIS UPCOMING GIGS. © 2007 Town & City Magazine - info@townandcity.com
Live Music
Steve "The Harp"
Throughout his life in Bloomington-Normal, Steve “The Harp” Mehlberg has done a little bit of everything. He served in the Army as a medic and lab technician. He’s been a farm hand, a Normal Fire Department Lieutenant, and was even crowned Mr. Illinois in 1987. But he’s perhaps best known as the area’s finest harmonica player. From his days with the Soul Seekers, playing against bands like the Shattertones at Marty’s Friday Night Dance Party, to playing gigs at old local hangouts like the Layz J Saloon, Red Lion, Polar Lounge and Night Watch, to sharing the stage with legends like Charlie Musselwhite and Joe Bonamassa, Steve “The Harp” has been playing harmonica and singing the blues in Central Illinois for over 50 years. Besides being an artist and songwriter, Steve is also an educator. Along with the Blues Blowtorch Society, Steve gives out free harmonicas and lessons to students all over the Bloomington-Normal area. Town & City caught up with Steve “The Harp” at his home in Bloomington to talk about his musical influences, what it’s like to teach music to the young and the old, and the future of the blues in Central Illinois.
Town & City: How did you get into the blues, and what drew you to the harmonica?
Steve Mehlberg: That’s a heavy question right there. I was in the United States Army and I was stationed at Fort Baker in Sausalito, California and had a part time job working up at Ghirardelli Wine Cellar. Friday nights there was a guy from Chicago who played the blues and he had a harmonica player that would sit in with him. There were many Friday nights I worked at the wine cellar and at the end of the night I asked the harmonica player one time, “How did you learn to play that harmonica?” and he says, “Get you some Muddy Waters records and just play along.” So that’s exactly what I did. I went to Tower Records in San Francisco and bought a Muddy Waters album (Sail On) and a Little Walter album (Hate to See You Go). When I heard that Little Walter album it grabbed me. I had an epiphany. There’s a song on there called “Rollercoaster” and I couldn’t believe the harmonica player was playing it because I’m a trumpet player, and I said, “That sounds to me sweeter than anything I’ve ever heard in my whole life.” I listened to that album so many times it won’t play anymore. Also, I went and bought a book called Blues Harp. That’s where I came into the word harp. I said, “Why do they call a harmonica a harp?” Well, it’s because it sounds like a harp when you blow through it sometimes. Harmonic can sound like many instruments: trombone, saxophone, guitar—and to me, I’m doing my job if I can make it sound like instruments other than the harmonica.
Something else that attracted me was, see, the trumpet is only one note at a time, but when you stick the harmonica far enough in your mouth you can almost play ten holes at once. It has more chord capability. So I started practicing and reading this book. And when I bought my first amplifier and microphone, I used to take my harmonica and turn that amp towards the cornfields and turn it up as loud as it would go and play to the corn. I used to say I had a lot of ears listening to me (laughs).
T&C: You’re also an educator of the blues, as well as a teacher of the harmonica. How did you start teaching?
SM: It was just a natural progression. My first student was back in 1975. He was a 72 year old gentleman from Quincy, Illinois. He asked me how to play the harmonica so I had him come over and showed him a few things. Harmonica is relatively simple, and he picked it up fast with a lot of practice and by the time he left me he was playing a lot of Americana tunes. I start off with just the basics. The scale and simple songs and what they call intervals and chords—some blues tunes if I’m at a blues festival or if I’m in a school maybe I’ll show them “Row Row Row Your Boat.” I started having more people then come up to me and say, “You play good, how’d you learn that?” And I’d say, “I taught myself,” and they’d say, “You think you can teach me?” and I’d say, “Sure.” And that’s how I started back in ‘75. People coming up to me after gigs and asking
T&C: How many students do you have?
SM: Right now I have three private students. Over the years I’ve probably had 500 or so. The youngest was 6 months old, my granddaughter, just put it in her mouth and she has fun. The oldest was 85.
T&C: You’re a supporter of the Blues Blowtorch Society. What do they do and what’s the blues climate like in Central Illinois?
SM: The Blues Blowtorch Society is partners with many organizations: Veterans of Foreign Wars, The Blues Foundation—and they are basically an educative source for people interested in the blues, whether finding out where to go, learning how to play, or whatever. And partly because of them, the blues climate in Illinois has been growing leaps and bounds over the last 20 years. Also thanks to Bruce Bergethon, Frank Black and WGLT. And it’s because of their playing of the blues, Delta Frank in particular, because of airplay, we’ve gotten a lot of listeners. However, the bar scenes and the blues have ebbed in flow much more. Right now there’s been a downturn. We’ve lost a large amount of factory jobs in the area because of political situations and things like that. Also, because of DUI laws, being what they are, people don’t want to go to bars as much and a lot of blues people who do smoke can’t, so that’s a deterrent. We’ve seen less and less patronization of the blues bars even though there’s increased listenership across Central Illinois. But it’s been things like The Blues Blowtorch Society and the Nothin’ But the Blues Festival, bringing in national and international blues musicians to play with local guys, that have made it possible to continue to support the blues.
LOG ON TO WWW.STEVETHEHARPBLUESBAND.COM TO LISTEN TO HIS LATEST ALBUM “BACK IN THE BLUES” OR VIEW HIS UPCOMING GIGS.
