Stephen picked up his father's harmonica when he was about 13. He has had something in his mouth ever since. With a temporary exception*, his life has been devoid of any formal music training. His learning influences range from The Band to Zappa. Notwithstanding this diversity, he is still a music snob. But not a music purist.

He has played from Trenton to L.A. and Detroit to Macon, but has spent most of his playing career kicking around Baltimore with:

• Spring Wind (1975-1979) - Good country-rock group, moderate local acclaim

• off the wall (1979-1995) - Very eclectic rock; "Ground Zero" LP, 1983 release on Broken Records; "The godfathers of original rock in Baltimore" (from MPT�s "Weeknight Alive" performance, 1986)

• Bishop Elmo and the Duckpins (1984-1988) - R&B, Soul ("WHEW!! How do ya follow THAT!" from the final show of MPT's "Weeknight Alive" performance, Dec 31, 1986)

• Jim Ball and the Suits (1988-1995) - Original commercial pop-rock; MTV "Home Tapes" winner by largest margin in Home Tapes history, 1988. Also known for the video "The Orioles Play On Channel 2", Baltimore Orioles promo commercial, 1990-1992

• Captain Quint (1998-2002) - Trop-rock; the "Ultimate Jimmy Buffet Tribute Band"

• Jay Kishor (2000-present) - Indian classical sitarist; leader of TouchingGrace, an "East meets West" music project. *Performances included a six-week crash course in traditional Indian music

• Joshua Sandkuhler (forever!) - Yeah, that's his oldest son, with whom he does most of his writing

He has performed with Jorma Koukounin (Seatrain), Lee Oskar (War), and Elvin Bishop. With one band or another, he has opened for:

• Jimmy Buffet

• Simon Townsend (Peter's brother)

• Pinetop Perkins and the Legendary Blues Band (from the fabulous motion picture, "The Blues Brothers")

• Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes

• Smokey Robinson

• New Riders of the Purple Sage

• KC and the Sunshine Band

• The Nighthawks

• NRBQ

• He even played a comedy club in Philly where the group's opening act was Rosie O'Donnell...before she "made it", of course

These are the current tools of his trade:

• Harmonica
  Harmonicas - Lee Oskar, sometimes Suzuki, and Huang
  Microphones - Shure 520DX "Green Bullet", Shaker Dynamic, Sennheiser e835S
  Amplifiers - Fender Blues Jr. (tube), Yamaha G-112 (solid state)

• Saxophones
  Saxophones - Yamaha tenor, Yanigasawa alto
  Microphone - Audio Technica ATM15 Condenser
  Monitor - Anchor AN100

• Flute
  Flute - Armstrong
  Microphones - Audio-Technica ATM15 Condenser, Sennheiser e835S

• Percussion
  Congas - CP, GonBops
  Bongos - LP
  Misc. Toys - Mostly LP
  Microphone - Audio-Technica AT4031 Condenser
  Hardware - LP, Gibraltar

• Other Stuff
  Effects - DeltaLab ADM1020 Effectron, Digitech RP3, Yamaha FX500
  Mixers - Mackie 1202, Beringer Eurorack MX802A
  Wireless Units - Samson VR-1
  Music Stores (Balto.) - Guitar Center, Appalachian Bluegrass, Dundalk Music Center, Music & Arts Center (sax repair), Nelson C. White (electronic repair)
  Performance Shoes - Converse double high-tops (a.k.a. "Chuck�s", "Fishheads"), custom design by Linnea and Lizard

Stephen has appeared on many locally produced recordings, music videos, harmonica workshops and commercial radio advertisements. Also, with a penchant for the thespian arts, he worked his way into some movie roles:

• The Corner (Barry Levinson Prod., 1998, I think) Extra

• Nightbeast (Don Dohler Prod., 1982) Extra

• Curse of the Screaming Dead (Little Warsaw Prod., 1982) Lead

• Night of Horror (Little Warsaw Prod., 1981) Lead

The latter three are cheap, locally produced, BBB horror flicks, if you couldn't figure that out. Don't believe me? Check out http://www.agonybooth.com/screaming_dead It's a hoot.

Proprietors of a local music store gave him the tag "Sandy," deriving from his last name. Fitting, as Stephen's father, whose harmonica was the first he played, also carried the same moniker. "Sandman" just sort of evolved from that. You can contact him on e-mail at ssand.man@verizon.net

Sandman loves God, his wife and kids, family and friends, music (and no, rap is NOT music), and baseball. In that order. Oh, yeah...and beer. That fits in there somewhere.