Academic achievement was a family priority. When one pokes around in their genealogy, one finds these kids came from very brainy, sturdy stock on both sides. Irish, English and Dutch. Steve’s Mom skipped a couple of grades without blinking, which made her a very young college graduate. She learned to speak fluent Spanish. His father was “Mr. Popular” in high school as class president, and a football quarterback star in Enderlin, North Dakota. Steve's great-grandfather on his dad’s side was a circuit judge until the age of 92 in South Dakota.

There were plenty of musicians in the gene pool too. His grandma Dora played the violin. All her family played something and his great uncle (also a circuit judge) Joseph Henry Bottum II worked his way through law school playing saxophone as well as sang and played piano. He wrote a popular song of his day called Dakota Girl. Learn more about Steve's great uncle at http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=B000656

Everyone seems to have good bones, good hair, good teeth. A fun-loving musical bunch that looks younger than average and lives long too. Steve seems to have inherited a quality of perpetual youthfulness and vitality in looks and attitude.

In junior high, Steve started his first band, but he didn’t play the piano. He played the drums (must have been the wall paper).