Stephen Bishop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, guitarist, and occasional actor, celebrated for his distinctive blend of pop and soft rock. Born on November 14, 1951, in San Diego, California, he developed a passion for music early in life, despite initially aspiring to be a history teacher. His father owned an insurance company, and Bishop attended Will C. Crawford High School. He began his musical journey playing the clarinet before becoming inspired by The Beatles, a pivotal moment that spurred him to pursue a career in music. He convinced his brother to buy him a guitar and soon formed his first band, The Weeds, in 1967. The British Invasion-style band performed at local fraternity parties and earned second place at the Claremont Battle of the Bands.
Determined to establish himself, Bishop moved to Los Angeles to achieve his musical ambitions. For nearly eight years, he walked from one music publisher to another, playing original songs on his acoustic guitar and facing repeated rejections. Eventually, he secured a $50-per-week job at E.H. Morris Publishing. His fortunes changed when iconic musician Art Garfunkel was introduced to some of Bishop’s songs. This led to Bishop contributing songs to Garfunkel’s platinum-certified album, Breakaway, which brought industry attention to Bishop’s work.
In 1976, Bishop signed a recording contract with ABC Records. His debut album Careless featured two of his biggest chart-topping hits, including “Save It for a Rainy Day,” which reached No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100. His follow-up album, Bish, released in 1978, also achieved gold status. Among his most acclaimed compositions is "Separate Lives," written for the 1985 film White Nights and performed by Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin. The song earned Bishop an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. He continued releasing music in subsequent years, including the 1989 album Bowling in Paris.
Stephen Bishop is well-known for his contributions to film music. His best-known cinematic song is “It Might Be You,” a hit ballad from the 1982 film Tootsie. In total, he has written or performed music for over a dozen films. He appeared as a musical guest on Saturday Night Live on March 11, 1978.
In addition to his music career, Bishop made several minor acting appearances. He portrayed the “Charming Guitar Player” in Animal House and appeared as a state trooper in The Blues Brothers. More recently, he has performed at prestigious venues, including the Library of Congress and the Waldorf-Astoria in New York during a United Nations event.
Bishop has remained relevant through his presence on major social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. He also maintains an official website at stephenbishop.com, where fans can find updates about his projects and performances. Over the years, Bishop has received significant recognition in the music industry, including two Grammy nominations and an Oscar nomination for “Separate Lives.”
There has often been confusion between Stephen Bishop the singer and another individual of the same name—Stephen Bishop the actor and former professional baseball player. The latter is a retired athlete who played baseball in the minor leagues for various teams, including affiliates of the Atlanta Braves and Baltimore Orioles. He is best known for acting roles in television series such as Being Mary Jane, Girlfriends, and The Game, as well as films like The Rundown and Moneyball, where he portrayed baseball player David Justice. It's important to note that these credits belong to the actor and not the musician Stephen Bishop.
Stephen Bishop the musician tends to keep his private life out of the public eye. As a result, few personal details or rumors circulate about him. Mentions of a girlfriend named Jesiree, associated with modeling and acting, appear to be connected to Stephen Bishop the actor, and not the singer-songwriter. Maintaining a clear distinction between the two has often been necessary due to overlapping public profiles and shared professional circles.
| Net Worth 2021: | 3 million |
