Steve Domer Guitar & Vocals / Cactus Wine & DDK Band

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Biography

Steve Domer was born in 1952 and raised in north-eastern Ohio. He started playing guitar at the age of 12 being influenced by the growth of pop rock music with the Beatles, Rick Nelson, Elvis Presley, and the Byrds. North-Eastern Ohio was a significant area for the growth of Rock 'n' Roll music, bands, and venues. Today the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame is located in Cleveland, Ohio in honor of the area's early influence to the genre.
 
In high school, Steve's band "Thyme" was popular and performed on weekends at school, church and other local events. The website;  http://www.buckeyebeat.com/comboframe.html , highlighting Ohio bands of the 60's & 70's, contains a biographical overview. In 1969, "Thyme" released a 45 RPM single on their Orange Records label selling it at local gigs. Excerpts of the two songs "Sunshine in the Morning" (S. Domer) and "Let Us Be Friends" (J. Coulter, K. VanKleeck, & S. Domer) can be found on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmc5W2dzrbo and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAH8UAo29uw
 
After high school, "Thyme" evolved into the Psychedelic Rock band, "Stars & Stripes", adding Steve's brother Mike on bass & vocals. The band performed regularly at popular club, high school, and college fraternities from 1970-1971.  The band further evolved to "Phoenix", a power rock trio, that played continuously in the club scene throughout Ohio and four bordering states from late 1971 through early 1974.
 
In December 1970, "Stars & Stripes", released a 45 rpm record on the Starshine Productions label and received regional radio airplay. The A-side, "Listen" written by Steve, and the B-Side "Your Love No More" written by his brother, Mike, are both good examples of the band's Psychedelic Rock sound at the time.  Music Videos can be found on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hw5wHmeDwpo and
 
"Phoenix" reformed itself as a top 40's lounge act in the mid 1970's in order to avoid the stresses of a road touring band. The new act was now called simply, the Domer Bros. Band, and performed nightly at many popular local Youngstown / Warren venues. Here are YouTube video links; https://youtu.be/7L2LPPnsf6M and https://youtu.be/vN4ef-oTHh4 
 
In 1977, Steve recorded several original songs. Four of these were entered into the emerging national songwriter's festival, The American Song Festival, receiving awards among the 100,000's of submitted entries. The song "Girl You're The Only One for Me" is an example of these sessions, and can be heard on Steve's SoundClick  site at;

Steve and his wife moved to San Diego, CA in 1977 where he continued his music career and completed his Electrical Engineering degree at San Diego State University.
 
In San Diego, Steve first formed the band "Moonraker".  A talented quintent featuring vocalist Lorah Bodie. However, the band's "harder" rock focus limited opportunity for steady gigs in the top 40/disco San Diego club scene at that time.  In 1978, Steve along with the bassist, Bob Lantis, formed "Front Page" and geared their repertoire to the more Top 40 "disco" sounds, made popular at that time with "Saturday Night Fever".  The band performed regularly in the greater San Diego area throughout 1978 thru early 1979. Here are links to Youtube videos of Front Page
 
"Front Page" disbanded in 1979 and Steve focused on completing his Electrical Engineering degree, and also devoting time to further songwriting. He also used this period to hone himself as a solo singer / songwriter /performer, and played steadily at a local lounge and private parties from late 1979 through 1982.
 
In 1979, with the support of the "Front Page" musicians, Steve recorded five new original songs. Two of these won awards in the 1979 American Song Festival, with the song "If Something's Wrong" placing in the semi-finals. Steve further performed at live show-cases to launch his solo singer / songwriter phase.  You can hear "If Something's Wrong" also at Steve's  SoundClick  page at; https://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10294063

Steve has performed as a solo singer/songwiter ever since, performing in lounges, parties, weddings, and other events as a guitar/vocal solo, and ocassionally with other musicians, over the last 40 years.
 
In 1989, Steve and his family moved to Mesa, Arizona (a suburb of Phoenix).  He continues to write and record original music and started performing more regularly in 2004 for local parties and  charity events. 
 
In late 2013, he retired from his Engineering career and now enjoys having more time to devote to his music.
He continues performing regularly as a solo, as well as with the Classic Rock & Country trio the DDK Band since 2017 
 
Steve loves entertaining audiences with his huge repertoire of songs from over the past six decades and working in original songs to his sets. Please also visit Steve Domer's "Soundclick" web page to hear MP3s of Steve's more modern original songs. You can access this from clicking on the SoundClick  icon on the home page or by going to
 
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The DDK Band 2017; Bob Doyen, Steve Domer, Larry Kubiayk

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Phoenix 1971-1974

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Steve Domer 2015

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Steve Domer 2009

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Steve Domer 1999 - 2000

1970 Released Single 45rpm
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written by S. Domer

Phoenix 1971 -1974
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Left to Right: Kim Van Kleeck, Mike Domer, Steve Domer
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Domer Bros Band 1974 - 1977

Moonraker 1977 San Diego, CA
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L to R: Jeff Ferris, Bob Lantis, Steve Domer, Jeff Shrin, Lorah Bodie

Front Page 1977-1979
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Front Page; San Diego, CA 1978

Singer/Songwriter
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Steve Domer 1979