Steve was born in Chicago in 1957, and has recorded and played with many of the top blues legends. He has been mentioned in books by Buddy Guy and Howling Wolf. Steve started working as a sideman on the Chicago Blues scene in the late 70's playing bass guitar, guitar, and drums behind such Blues Legends as Hubert Sumlin, Jimmy Rogers, Big Smokey Smothers, Homesick James, Andrew Brown, Lefty Dizz, Big Moose Walker, BB Big Voice Odum, Detroit Jr., Lovie Lee, Carey Bell, Big Jack Johnson, Sam Carr, Frank Frost, Lester Davenport. Eddie Taylor, Sam Lay, Eddie Clearwater, Sugar Blue, Abb Locke, Hip Linkchain, Sammy Lawhorn, Jr. Wells, Sammy Fender among others.

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Steve has travelled the world over performing major festivals and was signed to Warner Brothers Records International in 2005 where he appeared on a CD with Jack Johnson, REM, George Thorogood and Bo Diddley. 

In 2012 Steve created The Delta Swamp Rats and created the Mississippi Delta Funk Sound using a wide array of Cigar Box Guitars that was influenced by John Lee Hooker, Son House, Tommy Johnson. He has been playing CBG's for years and has toured the world bringing his unique style of country blues to the masses. He was in Cuba in 2010 performing as part of a cultural exchange program. In the last three years cigar box guitars have become very popular in the music world, and he has been one of the leaders in this movement. In 2018 performed at festivals in New Orleans, Dallas, Nashville and Los Angeles California. Last year Steve performed at festivals in Clarksdale, Greenville South Carolina and many in the state of Florida. You can view many of these shows on YouTube if you just enter Steve Arvey Cigar Box Guitar.

Most recently, Steve became a Lace Pickup Endorsee. He has now cemented his name along the likes of Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Buddy Guy who are also Lace endorsee’s.