STEVE LESKO

Steve is from Chelsea, Michigan, known for Jiffy Mixes, Sleeping Bear Press, actor Jeff Daniels and for two Guinness World Records for "Worlds Largest Teddy Bear Mosaic".  He loves to socialize and play hockey. An avid fan of the Detroit Red Wings, he started pond hockey as soon as he could walk and grew up with his dad as the head coach until high school where he played four years on the Varsity team.

Steve started playing the violin 15 years ago as a 5th grader under Jed Fritzemeier in the Chelsea school district and played in the high school’s symphony orchestra for all four years of high school. While classical music was his main study, it was the sound of the fiddle in country music that really drew him to the instrument and what drove him to continue playing. Since he was in middle school, he had dreamed of playing in the high school’s 30 person Celtic band, the Chelsea House Orchestra, and it quickly became his favorite four-year extracurricular. The group provided him with a lot of opportunities from traveling around the country to meeting numerous bands from the Celtic circuit. It directly led to the 4 groups with which he currently plays.  He has played for 5 years with the North Creek Fiddlers, a bluegrass/Celtic group from his hometown. All of the members have some connection with North Creek Elementary, having either worked or attended classes there.

Steve is the co-founder of
CrossBow, the Celtic band made up of current Grand Valley State University students. He attends Grand Valley and is studying Sound Design for Film.  He is also the Keeper of Music for the group, or more affectionately known as the "Librario." When not talking to someone about CrossBow or performing, he can be found on campus giving tours to high school students and their families or recording other musicians and projects in the studio.  He has also performed with the Indianapolis based Celtic “Kilt” Rock band, Mother Grove, for the last 4 years after meeting them through the Chelsea House Orchestra. They were the first professional band he got the chance to play with and he continues to learn many skills from them.

Steve can now be seen performing with the American Rogues and is thrilled to be a part of such a talented and fun group of people.

Other random facts about Steve: He has a slight obsession with river otters, is accomplished in Mongolian Throat Singing and likes to run spontaneous 5ks in a kilt, regardless of the weather.

Instruments: Electric & Acoustic Violin/Fiddle, Bodhran, Guitar, Mandolin