If you pursue something that you love, success will follow you. The prime example for this statement is the professional skateboarder Steve Caballero.
The California-based skateboarder is one of the influential and innovative skateboarders of all time. Best known as Cab, Steve is regarded as the Skater of the century.
Apart from this, he is also known as the inventor of vertical skating and to set the world record for the highest air achieved on a halfpipe.
But, Steve Caballero never thought of skateboarding as a career. He pursued it because it was something he loved.
That’s how he aced it and ultimately became one of the popular household names in skateboarding history.
This article will cover the personal and professional life of Steve Caballero. But, first, let’s take a glance at his quick facts before diving into the details.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Steve Caballero |
| Nickname | Cab |
| Date of birth | November 8, 1964 |
| Age | 59 years old |
| Birthplace | San Jose, California, U.S. |
| Religion | Christian |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Mexican-Japanese |
| Zodiac sign | Scorpio |
| Chinese Zodiac sign | Dragon |
| Height | 5’3″/160 cm |
| Weight | 152 lbs/69 kgs |
| Body Type | Athletic |
| Hair color | Grey |
| Eye color | Dark Brown |
| Education | High School |
| High School | Andrew Hill High School |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife | Rachel Callabello |
| Children | 3; Kayla Leslie, Clover Lavie Caballero, Caleb Bela Caballero |
| Profession | Professional Skateboarder, Artist, Musician |
| Skateboarding debut year | 1978 |
| Records | World record of achieving the highest 11 feet of air on a half-pipe |
| Major Achievements |
|
| Music Genre | Punk music |
| Musical Bands | The Faction, Odd Man Out, Shovelhead, Urethane, and Soda. |
| Sponsors | Powell Peralta, Bones Bearing, Independent Truck Company, Bones Wheels, Vans Skate Shoes |
| Net Worth | $4 million |
| Social Media | Instagram, Facebook |
| Merch | Skateboard, Shirt, Autographed Skateboard |
| Last Update | April, 2024 |
Steve Caballero | Early Life
Born on November 8 of 1964, in San Jose, California, Steve Caballero belonged Mexican-Japanese descent. His father was Japanese, and his family name was Nakahara.
Steve was unaware of his Japanese descent as his father left the family when he was just 11 years old. He knew it only after his father passed away in 1986.
For Steve, his mother was both his parents. After the divorce, Steve and his brother stayed with their mother, who took the responsibility to raise them.
Steve Caballero was born with a medical condition known as scoliosis. It is a condition that causes curvature of the spine.
But, fortunately, this career had no impact on his life and career as a skateboarder.
Steve Caballero | Careers
We see the multidimensional character of Steve Callabero through his rainbow-like career. He is a professional skateboarder, musician, and artist.
How did Steve Start skateboarding?
Steve started skating at the age of 12. He looked up to the skateboarding legend Eddie Elguera and wanted to be a skateboarder like him.
His dad brought him to a skatepark one day, skating there. He loved doing it so much that he started to imitate it with his own built ramps.
But, it didn’t come out well as he had homemade boards which were different from the skateboards, and he had no place to practice it.
Caballero later figured out that a skateboard park was being built in his neighborhood, and it was the happiest news for this aspiring Skateboarder.
Steve was exceptionally good at skateboarding at a young age, but his grades were terrible. However, Steve’s mother supported him to become a professional skateboarder.
His mother used to wait by the park where he practiced his skateboarding. Her mom bought him his first gear and skateboarding shoes.
His first skateboard was a Ty Page Free Former skateboard made of wood with sealed bearings and grip tape.
Her mother would let him wear soccer pads and a hockey helmets to protect him from being hurt.
Though, his skating career began two years later, in 1978. He had his first sponsor Campbell Skate Park.
Professional Skateboarding Career
In 1979, Steve participated in a national skate contest in Escondido, where he finished fifth. Stacy Peralta observed his skating skills and thought of sponsoring him with Powell Peralta.
By 1980, Steve was already a professional skater. He invented a trick popularly known as Cab.
In 1987, Caballero participated in the World Championships in Munster, Germany. He participated in street and vert skateboarding. He won both titles.
Steve set the world record to achieve the highest 11 feet of air on a half-pipe the same year. His record took ten years to be finally beaten by Danny Way in 1997.
Apart from this, Caballero set another record for the longest boardslide in 1999.
Being a member of Bones Brigade
Caballero became a member of Bones Brigade, the team formed by Stacy Peralta. It is the team of talented, handpicked skaters who revolutionized skateboarding.
The team consists of skateboarding legends such as Tony Hawk, Steve Caballero, Tommy Guerrero, Lance Mountain, and Mike McGill.
Filmography Career
The Skateboarder was featured in several videos of Stacy Peralta. In addition, he was one of the skateboarders to be featured in Bones Brigade: An autobiography.
Furthermore, he was also featured in Peralta’s other skate video, Search for Animal Skin. It’s one of the first skating movies with a storyline that stars the Bones Brigade.
He was one of the few skaters featured as a downloadable skater in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD.
Apart from this, he also appeared in the 1984 movie Escape from EL Diablo. He played the role of Juan.
Musical Career
After skateboarding, music was their second love of Steve Cabellero. He was intrigued by music when he was a child. So he grew up listening to Elton John, The Eagles, and the Beatles.
Steve used to sing at family gatherings, and it was one of his favorite things to do.
In 1978, his friends from skate parks introduced him to the rock and roll genre. He took an interest in pursuing music in his senior years in high school. He played bass guitar.
Steve started making punk music and wanted to form a musical band. But, then he was just an amateur guitar player. So, he self-taught himself and learned to play bass on his own.
After six months, he had his band named The Faction. He wrote some songs, played in musical shows, and released their first song.
Soon, his musical career was peaking. His band The Faction toured the US and produced their albums.
Apart from this, He also had his hands on other bands such as Odd Man Out, Shovelhead, and Soda. In addition, his songs have been featured as the OST of the Brigade Video Show.
​Steve’s first love was always skateboarding, and he didn’t pursue music because he wanted to be a rockstar. Instead, he did so just because he loved making music.
Recently, He started a new punk band, namely Urethane. The band is signed under the Cyber Tracks label, and they released their debut album Chasing Horizons on September 24, 2021.
Career as an artist
Steve is an artistic and creative person who loves exploring himself and pushing his boundaries. The pro skateboarder is also an artist and graphic designer.
He uses his brush and pen to draw, paint and create graphics for skateboards and motocross-related companies.
He also participates in exhibitions and art shows to showcase his artistic skills. Also, He sells his art to reproduction artists.
Steve Cabarello | Awards and Achievement
- Featured as cover boy of Thrasher Magazine multiple times.
- Featured as a video game character of the Tony Hawk video games.
- Skater of the Century (Thrasher Magazine) in 1999.
- Ranked first in the 1980 Gold Cup Contest
- Ranked first in the 1991 Holy Masters Skate Contest
- Set the world record to achieve the highest 11 feet of air on a half-pipe.
- Invented the skateboarding trick known as the fakie 360 aerial, Cab, and frontside boardslide.
- He set the record for the longest boardslide on a 44 step handrail.
Steve Cabarello | Wife and Children
Steve was married to Susan. The couple welcomed their first child Kayla Leslie. But, unfortunately, their relationship didn’t last long, and they divorced.
After the divorce, Steve took the responsibility to raise her daughter Kayla and raised her as a single dad.
Steve had no hopes in love and a relationship with the first failed marriage. But, as said, love finds you when you least expect it.
Steve found his love of life, Rachel, in 2006. After dating for a short period, the couple tied their knots on July 15, 2006.
They have a son and daughter together, namely Clover Lavie Caballero and Caleb Bela Caballero.
Steve Cabarello | Net Worth & Income
The estimated net worth of Steve Caballero is $4 million. He earned his net worth from his professional career as Skateboarder, musician, arts.
Caballero is sponsored by many companies such as Powell Peralta, Bones Bearing, Independent Truck Company, Bones Wheels, Vans Skate Shoes, Skull Candy headphones, Ohana Boardshop, and Protec Helmets.
Furthermore, he also has made handsome money from sponsorships and endorsements.
Check out this article for details on Steve Cabarello’s net worth >>
Steve Cabarello | Social Media
Steve Cabarello has a considerable number of fans following his social media. You can follow Steve on his social media to have a sneak peek into his personal life.
Instagram: 671 K Followers
Facebook: 181 K Followers
Steve Caballero | Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to Steve Caballero’s neck?
Steve Caballero was born with a condition: scoliosis, a curvature of the spine in the shape of an S.
This condition caused one of the glands in his neck not to develop properly, so he has a slight tilt in his head. It makes him look like he has a stiff neck all the time.
Why does Steve Caballero deck have dragons?
Steve was born in the year of the dragon according to the Chinese calendar. Also, he was a huge Bruce Lee fan, and he was considered the little dragon.
So, when Steve figured out he was getting a pro model, he wanted to customize it to relate to and show his true personality. So, he chose to customize it with the dragons.
