On Stage

Silver Street Guitars On Stage

Legendary Canadian rocker Frank Soda with his Taxi model. Be sure to check the video clips and photos at www.FrankSoda.com
The silver TAXI above is an early production example owned by Trade Martin of New Jersey.  Mr. Martin has had an impressive, multi-faceted career in the music and record industry as an RCA Victor vocalist, New York studio guitarist, arranger, composer and Grammy Award winning producer of the legendary B.B. King.
John Trivers onstage with Taxi Bass prototype. Thanks, Bruce!
Jeff Carlisi onstage with red Cobra. Thanks, Bruce!
Michael Stanley onstage with Taxi. Thanks Bruce!
Mike Reno onstage with Taxi. Thanks, Bruce!
Paul Warren onstage with Taxi. Thanks, Bruce!
The Eddie Money video “Club Michelle” on YouTube features a teal blue TAXI with two white pickups. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ-KdFaTr0A
The Bounty Hunters is a great Australian band fronted by Silver Street owner David Hinds and his wife Lyn. Their amazing matching Flying V guitar and bass are one-off signature models created for David and Lyn by Rebel Custom Guitars in Sydney, Australia. David’s Silver Streets are shown below. Check out the band’s “Hot on Ya Heels” video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk58UP7ZUbI
Cobra s.n. C92013 and Spitfire s.n S009 owned by David Hinds of The Bounty Hunters band in Australia.
Spitfire played by Christian music legend David Huff. Thanks for the photo, John.
A photo of Silver Street guitar designer and builder Dan Mustard and his wife Linda, (with Kim Tripp on drums) onstage at Government Lake Lodge, Baldwin MI in 1989. Dan is playing the prototype of the Silver Street Tommy Shaw model.
Tommy Shaw model played by songwriter Eric in Wisconsin
The Hangtown Heroes. Guitarist Keith “Dr. Z” Zimmerman, plays a Taxi model on stage. Thanks to Gary for the contact information.
Michigan’s “Intense” band used an MX and Nightwing
Jack Charles of Quarterflash – Taxi and Cobra at the ready
Jack Charles of Quarterflash, onstage with Cobra
Jack Charles of Quarterflash, onstage with Cobra
Jack Charles of Quarterflash and white Cobra in “Come On Up” video. Thanks for the image, Bruce. Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94Zy1crWS0c
“Intense” band member Jim & his Nightwing
Jonathan Cain of Journey onstage with a Spitfire
TAXI and owner Melanie in 2018. See 1984 photo below. Melanie played her TAXI professionally with the Usual Suspects band.
TAXI and owner Melanie in Guitar Player, January 1984. To see them in action, Google “YouTube The Usual Suspects at Blue Ribbon Rock Festival, Red Mile, Lexington Kentucky”. Make sure you are starting the YouTube video at the beginning.
“Intense” band member Scott playing his MX.
A photo of Silver Street guitar designer and builder Dan Mustard, onstage with Paula Jury, Stan Jensen, Steven Volpp, and Ken Jury at Peterson Auditorium, Ludington MI in 1986. Dan is playing the prototype of the Silver Street Elite model.
Spitfire played onstage by Don Barnes of .38 Special
Rick Springfield plays a Taxi in his Rock of Life video. Watch it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkXMrjrX-ic
Steve and singer in 1983
Taxi played by Steve in Santee, CA. Purchased in 1982; stolen in San Diego in 1992. Contact us with any info, please.
Tommy Shaw’s 1984 concert at Notre Dame in South Bend, IN that was recorded for MTV. Tommy’s eponymous Silver Street appears throughout the video. Thanks to Dan and Bruce for the link below. Photo collage credit goes to Bruce.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poqCZy3FalQ
Tommy Shaw on stage with Spitfire # 1
Tommy Shaw on stage with Spitfire # 2
Tommy Shaw on stage with Spitfire # 3
Tommy Shaw on stage with Spitfire # 4
Above and below: Two great photos from Troy in California. Troy is a professional musician and music producer. He played and sang on the latest “The Blackmail Seduction” album, which he also mixed and produced. Both of these Silver Streets were used on that project.
Heads up!

John in New Jersey is a musician who performs regularly in various venues. He recently used his red Spitfire on a tribute cover of the Icon song “In the End”. It was recorded by The Aurora Project as an homage to the song’s co-writer John Wetton who passed away in 2017. These photos show John’s guitar posse for the recording session and John putting his Spitfire through its paces. Thanks for the images and backstory, John! Here’s a link to the “In the End” video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t416dq4zFpo
In December 1985, Illinois Entertainer magazine printed an article about Silver Street’s development of the Tommy Shaw model. That model made its debut, played by Tommy Shaw, during an MTV concert at Notre Dame University in South Bend, IN.  Here is the abbreviated backstory recounted in the article:
Silver Street’s Steve Volpp had approached Shaw with the idea of endorsing their line of guitars. Tommy’s first reaction was skeptical, said  Volpp, since he had Gibson and Ibanez trying to get him to endorse their standard models when he was with Styx. However, neither company could make a standard model that was what he thought he wanted his name on. “After we brought in one of our standard models, then he was 99% sure we could deliver what he wanted. We started talking about some ideas Tommy had and started throwing out ideas for a custom model. We started out with the neck, then body design, pickups and wiring harness, and finally adjusting the placement of the volume and tone controls so they would be easily accessible and not in the way of the tremolo bar. We got the prototype done in time for the concert at Notre Dame. We had it done and up to what we both wanted out of the guitar. The guitar has a maple body with a maple three-piece neck, rosewood fingerboard and Dimarzio pickups. Depending on style, either a Schaller bridge, Kahler tremolo or Floyd Rose tremolo is used.” Shaw says the guitar is really a testimony to Steve Volpp and his persistence and tenacity. “He just kept working on it and finding me and bringing out prototypes until we both felt right.” Thanks to John in New Jersey for this information.
The December 31, 1981, CBS TV Special “Happy New Year America” has special significance. Through the efforts of Bruce Hardy, two Silver Streets were used on the program. TAXI and TAXI BASS prototypes were played by The Pointer Sisters band. The TAXI was played by Barry Coates and the TAXI BASS was played by Don Boyett. Both instruments were then returned to Silver Street.
The Pointer Sisters association with Silver Street went beyond the “Happy New Year America” TV program mentioned above. Two guitars were built at Silver Street in Shelby, MI for the Pointer Sisters bandleader/guitarist Joe Mumford. Both instruments were built by Dan Mustard; one was an MX and the other was a Nightwing. On July 7, 1985, Joe Mumford visited the Shelby factory and played for the staff. Later that day, Dan and Steve Volpp attended the Pointer Sisters performance at the George Welsh Auditorium in Grand Rapids, MI. Mumford used his blue burst MX on one song during that concert.
Joe Mumford was born in 1954 in Greenville, MS. He started playing guitar at age 14 and was soon playing professionally in Chicago and Los Angeles. He performed and/or recorded with well-known groups including The Temptations, The Pointer Sisters, Gladys Knight, Freda Payne and many others. With those groups he performed live, on television and in recording studios. While on tour, he performed in 29 countries. He died in Las Vegas on August 19, 2012.
Jeff Carlisi of 38 Special on stage with his red Cobra
Spitfire model, blue, serial # S053039, owned by Louis Weatherhead in Ottawa, Canada. Louis is the guitarist and vocalist in The Phoenix  Big Band, an eight-piece blues group. The band’s latest CD “Vertigo” features 13 original blues tracks.
The Rob Helper band including Marlon Hart playing a Tommy Shaw model. Note the innovative microphone Tech Stands made by Bruce Hardy’s company Hardy Technologies Inc.
Rob Helper band performing at Park City Center. Note the white Spitfire, serial number S-003
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Spitfire S003 History by Bruce Hardy: After the NAMM show, I gave Spitfire S003 and a zebra striped Cobra to Rob Hepler. He was to act as our Sales Rep for Silver Street Guitars in PA. At that time, he was also a sales rep for an RV Company. He then sold it to a Christian bandmate in PA, Curt Hocke. When Curt unexpectedly passed away, Rob got it back from the family. Rob adds: “It was used to affect hundreds for Christ. Curt was a small guy, so he liked the body shape.” I let Rob know about Mike D. really wanting a Silver Street guitar, so it was sold  to him. Rob added: “I believe my wife’s brother still has the zebra striped Cobra. I am going to try and get it back.” The image above is from a gig at the Park City Mall on Labor Day. We provided the sound; this was for Jerry’s Kids” benefit sometime in the early 90’s. Curt Hocke pictured at far left playing S003 and Rob Hepler center.
Dick Clark interviewing Eddie Money on American Bandstand in 1984. Note the Silver Street TAXI. See more photos below. Check out this video of the interview  https://youtu.be/3lPq6GwVXSc .   Also check this longer video of the TAXI being played on “Club Michelle”  https://youtu.be/QrFhR19FPKU?t=374.
Ralph Carter playing a very early TAXI with extended headstock on American Bandstand.
Links to videos of Tommy Shaw playing his eponymous Silver Street at Notre Dame. First, a 4.5 min. video here: https://youtu.be/5tj9mnMgiMc. Also, a 52 min. television concert video here: https://youtu.be/poqCZy3FalQ.  Thanks to Perry for these links.
Justin Wierenga is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, band leader and session musician with a primary focus in guitar and pedal steel/lap steel/dobro and bass guitar. He is based in Shelby, MI, the former home of Silver Street Guitars. He has a busy performance schedule, primarily in western Michigan. This image shows Justin playing his Silver Street Taxi at a recent performance.
More photos of Justin Wierenga on stage with his Silver Street Taxi. On the left, at Grand Armory Brewing in Grand Haven, Mi and, on the right, during a video shoot at the Starlite Room in Muskegon, MI.