Stephen B. Steward
Jun 1, 2014
Born the 9th of 12 children in Smithville, Mississippi, it was inevitable for Stephen B. Steward to be a great singer. Raised in the Church, he acquired a love for music at an early age. It was routine for him to sing with his siblings in the choir and school bands from elementary through high schools. He especially loved the music of Andrae Crouch going through college, and it was songs like "The Blood", "Take Me Back" and "My Tribute" that carried him through some difficult times. Though music was key in his upbringing, his strong ties and value of family, church, and community would lead him on a path that postponed the birth of his musical dreams.
After graduating from Mississippi College, Steward moved to California to begin working for the County of Los Angeles. Shortly thereafter, he married his wife Onesha and started a family. Over the next 15-20 years, Steward would continue his work in law enforcement, raise his children, and establish businesses, while continuing to write and serve as worship leader at his local church. Before he knew it, he had compiled countless songs. During these years, he knew God's plan for his music was beyond the paper he wrote the lyrics.
Yet another turn in his life would take him down a path where he questioned God. Being a parole agent was far from the singer/songwriter he longed to embrace on a full-time basis. But there was a connection. It was ministry. Working on the dangerous streets of Los Angeles, he witnessed what he calls "raw redemption, deliverance and healing" where gangsters fall on their knees and say lead me to Jesus, addicts of 30 years restored from heroin and rock cocaine and others healed from sickness and disease when they exercise their faith and have nothing to lose. It was encounters like these, the tears and prayers God gave him even more songs.
2011 saw the Stewards starting an independent record label GS Records to catalyze Steward's career as a national recording artist. As his passion for worship and song through lyric had already seen him list more than 200 songs to his credit, the lauded baritone has been hard at work to prepare the May 20th release of his debut project: 'Enter Your Gates' led by the rising radio single "With My Whole Heart", co-written by Grammy winner and gospel music legend Andrae Crouch.
The forthcoming debut album is set to showcase an audio decorated by fresh, inspiring songs of worship and declaration from the heart of an artist who has dedicated his life to ministry. Steward's stirring new single "Purify My Soul" is currently at #47 on the gospel charts.