about

Effie Zilch is a product of San Francisco’s mythology and musical legacy. The name itself comes from a figment of Herb Caen’s imagination, a muse the legendary journalist conjured to inspire decades of work for the SF Chronicle. Caen would write his column for this 40-something mother of two, content at home with her family, sipping her coffee and enjoying a quiet life. What Caen did not envision for his muse was a second life, not so quiet, in studios and on stages spinning her own writing into rock n roll. This is where the artist Effie Zilch departs from the path of her namesake. With longtime friend and Grammy award-winning producer Steve Wyreman, the Bay Area native fronts a musical duo that has become a legitimate heir to the sound and style of San Francisco’s countercultural golden age.

After a belated start on this “second life” as a singer-songwriter, Effie released 4 albums from 2022-2025: Trinity Vols. 1 & 2, Live in Concert Halls and Bookstalls, and Multitudes. While she seems to draw from an endless well of rich musical and lyrical inspiration, Steve draws on his many years of experience working with producers No I.D. and Ricky Reed, where he honed his skills at bringing vintage sound to modern recording. As a mostly behind-the-scenes producer/co-writer, Steve has worked with Jay-Z, Rihanna, John Legend, Logic, and Leon Bridges, to name a few. His early days as a touring musician took him on the road with both Mary J. Blige and Lauryn Hill before eventually landing him on stage with Richard Ashcroft, supporting the Who, The Rolling Stones, and most recently the Oasis reunion tour.

As a team, they share not only decades of close friendship and musical collaboration, but overall aesthetic and artistic sensibilities as well. While their music and songwriting are certainly shaped by some of the more obvious influences a listener would identify - Dylan, Jefferson Airplane, Hendrix, Staple Singers, etc. - their range of inspiration is much wider. Poetry by Walt Whitman, paintings by Maxfield Parrish, sonatas by Ravel, the list goes on. They are true lovers and connoisseurs of art in all its forms, and that love is evident in each song.

When they’re not making music, you’ll find them browsing the shelves at the local used bookstore, digging through record bins, taking in a pre-Raphaelite exhibit, or catching a Hitchcock film festival (in a 1920s Art Deco movie theater, naturally). All of these creative streams feed their work, their music itself being a mission to elevate great art, an invitation to celebrate creative inspiration and expression wherever they can be found.

In 2026, Effie will release two additional EPs, starting on Feb 6th with The Kitchen Sink, a collection of previously unreleased songs that never seemed quite at home on previous albums but that have come together with a very cool, laid back and lo-fi approach to production. Saturated acoustic guitars, early morning vocals, it’s a “comfort food” vibe, and perfect for anyone looking to step out of the chaos of today’s world and into the solace of timeless music.