MY WIRING DIAGRAM:
Note: The latest incarnation of our Country Band is called "Mixed Company Country Band." Larry, Kenneth and I are still
in the band, Mike is back, and we have a new drummer, Charlie Sansom. More of this to be added soon, including pictures!
Over the years, I've had the pleasure of playing in several dance bands, a hobby to which I had recently returned until, once again, we all went our separate ways. In the early to late 1970's I played in a band we first called the Rio Bravo Bandits and later renamed the Rio Bravo Band. Tony Warnock, then of Alpine, Texas, played accordian, Joella Minter of Wink played guitar and sang, I played bass guitar and tried to sing some harmony, and we had several drummers, finally settling with Robert Halpern, of Marfa, Texas. We quit playing together sometime around 1981. (Looking for photos!)
From about 1981 to 1987, I played in a band we called the Nightriders, based in Balmorhea, Texas. My brother Larry played guitar and sang vocals, Peter Matta, of Balmorhea, played bass guitar, and his brother Chuy Matta played drums. I sang vocals and played guitar, mandolin, viola, and keyboards. (Looking for the photos!)
In August of 2000, my brother Larry and some of his friends formed a new band based in Balmorhea, Texas, and they invited me to join in. We called it the Madera Valley Express, and we played together until March of 2001. The members were Larry Humphries, Guitar and Vocals, John Gray, Guitar and Vocals, Kenneth Thetford, Bass Guitar and Vocals, Mike Cade, Bass Guitar, Charlie Sansom, of Ft Stockton, Texas, Drums and Vocals, and myself on Keyboards, Guitar, Mandolin, Guitar, and Vocals. Here's a photo (a poor one) of part of our band taken at a dance in Verhalen, Texas on New Year's Eve, 2000:
Here's a few photos (a poor ones again - not enough light!) of part of Madera Valley Express taken at our last dance in Verhalen, Texas on March 17th, 2001:
