Blame It On My Heart

Hailed as a "topnotch performer" by Daily Variety's Joel Hirschhorn, Steve Kirwan breathes a certain truth and honesty into any music and lyric set before him. Easily delivering vocal performances with an uncommon depth and range, he charms listeners, creating a renewed intimacy between audience and artist. In small rooms, jazz clubs or on a theatre stage, Steve's nuance, timing and unabashed connection to the music draws the audience in. It was the late Rosemary Clooney who taught Steve to live each song in the moment. Both performing on stage and recording with her, he learned first-hand how to give songs life, vibrancy and clarity. "Songs are written about a single moment in time - a thought that comes to your mind of an experience or memory. I think of each song I sing as a scene from a play," he once said. As Steve developed his own contemporary style, he sought to retain deep roots in the old school tradition and acknowledges teachers and cabaret stars like Julie Wilson, Marilyn Lovell, Margaret Whiting and Kay Starr for their influence. The debut of BLAME IT ON MY HEART was released after a period of time Steve spent writing songs about his life's experiences. 'I had found another way to express myself in addition to singing', he says. Many of these songs were written with his then writing partner, Ken Klar. "Mr. Play It Safe", "Someday I'll Find You", "Lover's Lament", "You Were Mine", "Sarah", "Blame It On My Heart", "How Could You Walk Away" and "Grace Street" were all written with Klar. Also included is a beautiful piano/vocal arrangement of Don McLean's "Vincent" arranged by Dan Wells and Stephen Bishop's "Separate Lives" arranged by Bill Schneider. A singer/songwriter and graduate of the prestigious Eugene O'Neill Theatre Cabaret Symposium, Steve has over 80 recordings to his credit and has shared the microphone with both classic and contemporary artists. He was a featured soloist with the twice Grammy® Award-nominated L.A. Jazz Choir, and a session singer for Hal Leonard Publishing. Steve has recorded albums with Rosemary Clooney, Jack Sheldon and Bebu Selvetti and performed in concert with Gary Morris, Linda Ronstadt, Lucie Arnaz and the late Steve Allen. His theatre performances include: FALSETTOS; 1940'S RADIO HOUR; THE GIFT; THE CHOSEN; GODSPELL; CAMELOT; EVERYTHING'S COMING UP HITS; BROADWAY SINGS OUT!; WORKING; and THE MELODY LINGERS ON - THE SONGS OF IRVING BERLIN. Steve's film and television credits include: ANYWHERE BUT HERE (20th Century Fox); THE JUDDS: LOVE CAN BUILD A BRIDGE (NBC); and RED SAILS IN THE SUNSET with Frank Sinatra Jr. (TelMax Films). He has worked along side some of America's best loved songwriters including: Hal David ("Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head"); Carol Hall ("Hard Candy Christmas"); Charles Fox ("Killing Me Softly"); Amanda McBroom ("The Rose"); Arthur Hamilton ("Cry Me A River"); Ray Evans ("Silver Bells"); and Gloria Sklerov ("I Just Fall In Love Again").