High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Steve Bailey (born February 10, 1960) is an American bassist who is famous for his pioneering work with the six string fretless bass. He was voted runner up for "Bass Player Of The Year" in 1994 and 1996. Steve began playing the bass guitar at age 12 and started playing fretless bass after he ran over his fretted Fender Jazz Bass with his car. Bailey not only plays electric bass, but he also plays double bass; he started playing upright after hearing Stanley Clarke playing with Return to Forever. Steve received full scholarships to both North Texas State University and University of Miami. He is currently an Artist in Residence at Coastal Carolina University and a teacher at University of North Carolina at Wilmington.