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Steve was born Feb. 4, 1972 in Harlan Kentucky. He has always
been surrounded by the old time music. His father , Lester
Sparkman loved the Stanley Brothers and played the banjo claw
hammer style as well. He took Steve around to the festivals in
the area for years. Around age eleven, Steve's dad began to
show him a few things on the banjo. Then Steve began listening
to the Stanley Brothers albums and taught himself to play as
close to the way Ralph did as he could. Ralph had seen and
heard Steve play a little around the festival grounds at the
Hills of Home park, and when Ralph broke his femur he knew just
who he wanted to fill in until he recovered, Steve Sparkman.
But when Ralph recovered he couldn't let Steve go. Ralph has
said many times that Steve is the only banjo player as good as
himself, so he kept him. Steve has been a Clinch Mountain Boy
for eleven years now. As part of being a Clinch Mountain Boy,
Steve has received several IBMA awards, as well as a Grammy for
his work on the “Lost in the Lonesome Pines” project. Steve now
lives near Lexington Kentucky with his fiancé of five years,
Carolyn Harris and their two dogs, Bradley and Anakin. Even now
Steve still practices his banjo for about two to four hours a
day. You have to, to stay on top. Steve would like to thank all
of the fans, and Dr. Ralph Stanley for everything, for without
each of you...and God, none of his dreams would have come true.
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