about silverwing 1993 to 2020

27 years of SILVERWING

Mel created his band, Silverwing, in 1993, when he hired Billy, the bass player, and George, the drummer. They played casinos, bars and parties all over Northern Nevada.

For the next 27 years Mel kept his band, Silverwing, with it's rotating cast of characters,

rocking non-stop, from the casino stages to the loneliest bars on the loneliest roads all over Nevada.

Our Duo

I met Mel in 1994, during the first version of Silverwing.

But when Billy and George both moved out of Nevada, Mel quit playing for a while.

He focused on our 5 kids and his stucco contracting business, but he loved playing music.

So, he bought a 4 track recorder and started to lay down his own guitar riffs, then he add a drum track, a bass line, and of course a blistering guitar lead.

But we didn't have any lyrics for these catchy tunes. Neither one of us ever attempted to write a song.

So we bought a rhyming dictionary, got a feel for each little tune, is it happy? is it sad? We imagined the story, added some lyrics and became songwriters which eventually became the Moonshine and County Line CD's.

But he missed the energy of the stage.

So around 2004, Mel and I started a duo. I hadn't picked up a guitar in 20 years, but I knew I could play a 3 chord country song, so I became his first bandmate in the rebuilding of Silverwing.

When Dave and Raena joined Silverwing

Our duo was great. I played rhythm guitar, Mel played lead and we had a keyboard with drum patterns that I re-set for every song.

I learned so much and I even sang a song, which was a frightening experience.

We had a recurring gig at our favorite bar, the Big Horn Saloon. But that wasn't enough for our guy.

He got the bug again.

One day he came home and said "I hired a drummer and a bass player and we are booked at the Farmer's Market."

That's how Raena and Dave joined me in

the next version of Silverwing!

Russ the bass player and Dave the drummer

After Dave and Raena moved on, Mel hired Russ to play bass and Dave on drums. We booked gigs at festivals and parties.

The highlight of that time was playing for thousands of people attending a Nevada Republican Party campaign event at the Carson City Pony Express Pavilion during the McCain/Palin election run.

When Russ retired and moved away, Silverwing took another pause.

Mel became the lead guitar player for another band and I went back to the 'wives club' table.

Although I loved playing music and missed the excitement of learning new songs, it was a blast listening to Mel rip through guitar leads from the comfort of a casino lounge chair.

Introduced to Sean Rold

While in the other band, Mel met his twin brother from another mother, Sean.

They had similar taste in music, similar backgrounds as far as band history and they just clicked.

For the rest of his life, Mel and Sean traded blistering guitar leads and backed each other up on vocals.

It was probably, next to my time being his bandmate, the longest band relationship he ever had.

Sean produced both Silverwing CD's and gave Mel the sound that he was looking for through hours of detailed editing.

I think a very lasting image of Silverwing is Mel and Sean standing trading guitar leads out in the crowd. That image will stay with me forever.

Silverwing transforms again

Playing guitar for another band was a great experience, but of course, he loves to front his own band, pick his favorite tunes and work up his own arrangements, soooo back to Silverwing he goes!

With me on rhythm guitar and Dave on drums, he only needed a bass player.

Mel called his new buddy Sean and made an offer. So Sean put down his guitar, picked up a bass and joined Silverwing.

The next version of Silverwing

When Dave, the drummer, stepped away from Silverwing, we were introduced to Frank. He joined the band and also played drums on the first Silverwing CD titled Moonshine.

Many extra hours were spent by each band member doing their part to bring Mel's vision to life.

He was so grateful for each persons committment and effort on his behalf.

Listening to the Moonshine CD brings back very fond memories of great times.

The last Silverwing family

The final version of Silverwing, included Mel, Sean and I, plus George on keyboards and Brandon on drums. At one of our last gigs, Mel was so content, so pleased, that he pulled us together for a group hug.

He loved the energy, the high level of talent, the deep trust and the endless laughter.

Playing music was always a blessing, full of good friends, good times and excitement.

Mel was gifted with talent on the guitar, but he also worked so hard to get there. He practiced endlessly and demanded perfection from himself and others.

I am grateful that I got to participate in all of these wonderful experiences.

Full Circle

Even with all the great events, gigs, parties and wonderful time we spent on stage, there was something else that Mel and I loved dearly.

Our duo.

Just the two of us.

So in the last year or so, we brought back the duo.

For me, it was extra special.

I loved listening to his sweet guitar licks on a beautiful acoustic song,

like Amie by Pure Prairie League or

Country Roads by John Denver.

So it was full circle when we put the duo back together and spent our Sunday afternoons playing music side by side.

Thank you to Cherrie at the Ponderosa Saloon in Virginia City, NV for giving Mel and I so many opportunities to play music as a band and as a duo. I will treasure those memories forever.

SILVERWING