Jazz musician and published poet born June 30, 1937 in Little Rock and died at home June 8, 1994. At 13, he began performing on drums for jazz groups in the area. Steele backed up several celebrities including Phyllis Diller, Cyd Charisse, and Frankie Laine. While a member of the National Navy Orchestra he was a Founding member of the Sea Chanters, The U.S. Navy Singers, and performed on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in the late Fifties. As a poet, he published a collection called "A Gallery of Moonmen." His first commission was to write theater music at age 18 for Ezra Pound's translation of Sophocles's "Women of Tracis."
Bob graduated from Little Rock Senior High School (Central), Arkansas State Teachers College (UCA) and received his MSE in English from UCA in 1982. He taught at Scott, Jacksonville, and North Little Rock High Schools and was a noted clinician and judge at the National Jazz Band clinics held for high school students nationwide. As a performer, composer, arranger, and teacher, Bob was an active member of the Little Rock and Hot Springs jazz scene for over thirty years as well as performances with KLRE, KARK, KATV, KTHV, and a KETS-PBS special. He is survived by his wife Bettina Nemec Steele, one son Mark, and daughters Lia Steele, Andrea Thrasher, and Melanie Steele.