Steve Morse, born July 28, 1954 in Hamilton, Ohio, is an American guitarist and songwriter. He started playing guitar after initially learning piano and clarinet. In the late 1960s, he played with bands including Three and Dixie Grit. After graduating from the University of Miami School of Music, Morse formed Dixie Dregs with bassist Andy West. Their debut album Free Fall was released in 1977 under Capricorn Records. The band's subsequent albums included What If, Dregs of the Earth, and Unsung Heroes. In 1983, Dixie Dregs disbanded but reunited periodically for tours and releases like Full Circle in 1994. Morse joined Deep Purple in 1994, becoming their longest-serving guitarist. He also played with Kansas in the mid-1980s and was a member of Flying Colors. His solo career includes albums such as High Tension Wires (1989), Major Impacts (2000), and Major Impacts 2 (2004). Leader of the Steve Morse Band since 1983, they recorded albums such as The Introduction (1984), Stand Up (1985), Coast to Coast (1992), Out Standing in Their Field (2009), and Triangulation (2025). Morse has been a seven-time Grammy nominee.
