Mike Wilhelm solos during a Flamin' Groovies performance in Toronto in 1982. Courtesy photo.
UPPER LAKE – Dubbing the band “Hired Guns,” Mike Wilhelm has assembled one of the heaviest lineups of veteran musicians ever heard at the Blue Wing Saloon & Café’s Blue Monday series of dinner dance/concerts.
The personnel are Mike “the Charlatan” Wilhelm, guitar/vocal; Barry “the Fish” Melton, guitar/vocal; John “Electric Flag” Beckwith, bass/vocal; Mark “Street Dog” Phillips, drums/vocal; James “Jimmy the Lion” Leonardis, tenor sax; plus special guests.
A virtuoso delta slide guitarist and fingerstyle blues player, Cold War-era Navy veteran Wilhelm is known as a founding member of the Charlatans, the first San Francisco 1960s psychedelic rock group.
The Charlatans were invited to play at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1997.
During the late 1970s/early 1980s he was lead guitarist with the cult heroes, Flamin’ Groovies who are considered by rock historians to be the fathers of Power Pop.
Barry Melton was the fiery lead guitarist in the 1960s group Country Joe and the Fish who jumped into national prominence with their appearance in the film Woodstock.
Since then he has toured under his own name in the U.S. and internationally. Somehow he also found the time to study law by correspondence course, pass the bar and practice law.
Melton quips, “I’m an alumnus of Matchbook U.”
He recently retired as Yolo County Public Defender.
John Beckwith has played with Nick Gravenites and Electric Flag for the last 12 years and is considered by both musicians and critics to be one of the finest blues bassists on the scene today.
A native of London and a Gulf War U. S. Navy veteran, Mark Phillips was drummer with the Grateful Dead cover band Street Dogs as well as being an in-demand Bay Area recording session drummer.
He is known as a “one take” player and is more than comfortable in the blues genre. He has played with Wilhelm’s Bottle Rock band for more than a year.
Local organic farmer James Leonardis is also a talented jazz tenor saxophonist with a gorgeous tone whose solos always draw appreciative applause.
Though he hasn’t had a lot of experience playing Rhythm & Blues he seemed to fit right in with Wilhelm’s Bottle Rock Blues & Rhythm Band when they last played the Blue Wing.
The band plays the Blue Wing from 6:30 p.m. until 9 p.m. Monday.
The Blue Wing is located at 9520 Main St., Upper Lake. Reservations are recommended for parties of six or more. The telephone number is 707-275-2233. For further information visit www.bluewingsaloon.com .
For further information about Mike Wilhelm visit www.flyingsnail.com/Scrapbook/Mike_Wilhelm.html . For bookings call 707-77-7912.
H. C. Anderson is a music critic from Berlin, Germany who currently resides in San Francisco.
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