Esteban 2740992 225238408 2008-07-12T17:03:09Z J Milburn Bot 7423137 All Music Guide has now been rebranded to Allmusic :''This article is about the guitarist Esteban. For other uses, see [[Esteban (name)]]'' '''Esteban''' (born 1948 in [[Pittsburgh]], [[Pennsylvania]]) is the [[stage name]] of guitarist '''Stephen Paul'''.<ref name="pnt">[http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2000-09-21/news/the-tao-of-esteban/ The Tao of Esteban], Gilbert Garcia, ''Phoenix New Times'', [[September 21]], [[2000]], accessed on line [[June 15]], [[2007]].</ref> Recognizable by his bolero hat and sunglasses, Esteban has gained commercial success by selling his CDs and guitars on [[QVC]] and [[HSN]].<ref name="amg">[http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=11:am6zefikhgf3 Esteban], entry at [[Allmusic]]. Accessed on line [[June 15]], [[2007]].</ref><ref name="shc">[http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07039/760156-55.stm South Hills Catholic reunion with Esteban], Al Lowe, ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', [[February 8]], [[2007]]. Accessed on line [[June 15]], [[2007]].</ref> Esteban is popular among his fans but has been criticized by musicians as a player of bland, easy-listening music who has marketed himself by exploiting the name of the well-known [[Spain|Spanish]] [[classical guitar]]ist [[Andrés Segovia]].<ref name="pnt " /> ==History== Esteban, the son of a steelworker, was the oldest of four children. He recounts that he began playing guitar at the age of eight when his uncle brought him a nylon-stringed guitar.<ref name="pnt" /> He attended South Hills Catholic High School (since absorbed into [[Seton-La Salle Catholic High School]]) in [[Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania|Mt. Lebanon]].<ref name="shc" /> He then attended [[Carnegie Mellon University]], where he double-majored in music and English. According to Esteban, at this time, he was teaching approximately 150 students a week and playing in nightclubs.<ref name="pnt" /> ===Segovia=== Esteban states that at this point in his studies of the guitar, he felt a strong desire to study with [[Andrés Segovia]]. According to Esteban, after a long period where he pursued Segovia by sending notes to the hotels he was staying at, he at last met Segovia in [[Los Angeles]] in [[1972]] and studied with him intermittently for the next five years, splitting his time between [[Spain]] and [[California]]. The extent of the connection between Segovia and Esteban, however, is heavily disputed. Although Esteban did meet Segovia, Esteban is not mentioned in any biography of Segovia, and Esteban never received the public acknowledgment Segovia gave his known students, such as [[John Williams (guitarist)|John Williams]] and [[Eliot Fisk]]. Segovia [[autograph]]ed one of his books for Esteban in [[1978]] with a flattering message, but Segovia is known to have signed hundreds or thousands of such messages.<ref name="pnt" /> ===Musical transformation=== According to Esteban, he moved from [[Southern California]] to [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]] with his wife and daughter in [[1978]]. During the next two years, he toured playing classical music. In [[1980]], while driving his mother home from the airport, Esteban was involved in a collision with a drunk driver. He was left with broken ribs, missing teeth, and a light-sensitive eye. He recovered but was left with nerve damage in his hands. Unable to play the guitar, he sold solar energy systems for Reynolds Aluminum. During his long recovery, he decided to move away from playing only classical music. After recovering some of the use of his fingers in [[1988]], he had begun playing again by the end of [[1989]].<ref name="pnt" /> ===Commercial success=== At this time, Esteban was playing at a [[Hyatt Regency]] hotel. He released his first album in 1991.<ref>[http://wc10.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:giftxqq5ldae~T2 Esteban&mdash;Discography&mdash;Main Albums], [[Allmusic]]. Accessed on line [[November 9]], [[2007]].</ref> He hired a keyboardist in [[1992]] and has subsequently added a five-piece band. Audiences responded well to Esteban's charisma and frequently bought his albums.<ref name="pnt" /> In [[1999]], Esteban came to the attention of [[Joy Mangano]] at Ingenious Designs, inventor of the Miracle Mop and other household accessories sold on [[QVC]]. She recognized Esteban's charisma and he was invited to play on QVC in November 1999. Soon after, Ingenious Designs was bought out by [[HSN]] and Esteban achieved commercial success. He sold 132,000 CDs after two appearances on HSN in the summer of 2000, and two of his albums reached the top 54 entries in the [[Billboard 200]].<ref name="pnt" /> Esteban quit playing at the Hyatt in 2000.<ref>[http://doney.net/aroundaz/celebrity/esteban.htm Esteban] at Arizona Celebrity Sightings. Accessed on line [[June 15]], [[2007]].</ref> He has since been featured in ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' and ''[[People Magazine]]''.<ref>[http://www.estebanmusic.com/bio.html Bio], Esteban official website. Accessed on line [[June 15]], [[2007]].</ref> From 2001 to 2003, Esteban released over a dozen additional albums, four of which placed in the lower half of the Billboard 200.<ref>[http://wc10.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:giftxqq5ldae~T5 Esteban&mdash;Charts & Awards], [[Allmusic]], accessed on line [[November 9]], [[2007]].</ref> He has also been featured in various infomercials advertising his guitars and instructional DVDs.<ref name="amg" /> Esteban landed his first major CD distribution deal (with Sony [[RED Distribution]]) with the release of ''The Best of Esteban'' in October, 2006.<ref>[http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=23209 ''Best of Esteban''], review, Chris M. Slaweci, allaboutjazz.com. Accessed on line [[June 15]], [[2007]].</ref><ref>[http://www.socal.com/articles/2705-72.html Livin’ the Dream: Esteban Brings His Music to the Mainstream], Heather Turk, socal.com, accessed on line [[June 15]], [[2007]].</ref> ==Criticism== Esteban has exploited Segovia heavily in his marketing, citing himself, for example, as being "one of 14 guitarists in the world endorsed by the legendary Andrés Segovia." Critics have pointed out that Esteban began making these claims only after Segovia had died, making them impossible to verify, and that it is unlikely that Segovia, a classical purist, would have approved of Esteban's brand of popular music.<ref name="pnt" /> == Discography == * ''The Best of Esteban'' (2006) * ''The New Flamenco Y Rosas'' (2006) * ''Father/Daughter'' (2004) * ''Celebrate the Memories'' (2004) * ''Back 2 Back'' (2003) * ''Esteban & Friends: Live in Sedona'' (2003) * ''Happy Holidays'' (2003) * ''Live in Sedona'' (2003) * ''Eternal Love'' (2003) * ''Walk Beside Me'' (2002) * ''Flame, Flamenco & Romance, Vol. 2'' (2002) * ''Esteban By Request'' (2001) * ''Flame, Flamenco & Romance, Vol. 1'' (2001) * ''Esteban Live'' (2001) * ''Joy to the World'' (2001) * ''Holiday Trilogy'' (2001) * ''At Home With Esteban'' (2001) * ''All My Love'' (2001) * ''Duende'' (2001) * ''What Child Is This'' (2001) * ''Spirits of the West'' (2001) * ''Heart of Gold'' (2001) * ''Passion'' (1999) * ''Enter the Heart'' (1998) * ''Flamenco Y Rosas'' (1995) * ''Songs From My Heart'' (1995) ==References== {{reflist}} ==Further reading and external links == * [http://www.estebanmusic.com/ Official Website] * [http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=11:am6zefikhgf3 Esteban], entry at [[Allmusic]]. * [http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/orl-esteban2807jan01,0,5984621.story Even on aisle 9, Esteban rocks on], Jim Abbott, [[January 1]], [[2007]], ''Orlando Sentinel'',. * [http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2000-09-21/news/the-tao-of-esteban/ The Tao of Esteban], Gilbert Garcia, ''Phoenix New Times'', [[September 21]], [[2000]]. * [http://musicthing.blogspot.com/2005/04/who-is-esteban-and-whats-up-with-his.html Who is Esteban? And what's up with his guitars?] at Music Thing * [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07039/760156-55.stm South Hills Catholic reunion with Esteban], Al Lowe, ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', [[February 8]], [[2007]]. * [http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data4/Esteban/ Product reviews of various models of Esteban Guitars] at [http://www.harmony-central.com/ Harmony central]. [[Category:1940s births]] [[Category:Musicians from Pittsburgh]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:American guitarists]] [[Category:Carnegie Mellon University alumni]] [[Category:People from Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania]]