Max Phillips and the Whiskey River Band

Max Phillips and the Whiskey River Band 

Around the year 1981 and 1982 some members of the Chisel Ridge Bluegrass Band felt as if places didn't want to pay Bluegrass Bands what they deserve. There was just a limited number of venues one could play. Everyone just wanted Bluegrass Bands to perform for free. Several of us joined up with Max Phillips and the Whiskey River Band. The members were Max Phillips on guitar, Keith White on guitar, myself on bass, David Sheek on drums, also Keith Murphy on drums, and Kip Snow on guitar. We also used a guy named Richard on sound and a guy named Ken on pedal steel which added a lot to the band. Max is a great Country guitarist and songwriter. We performed at a lot of different clubs and one in particular I remember was up Highway 90 north of Statesville called the Chateau Madrid. Another place we performed  at was called The Traffic Light in North Wilkesboro. It was owned by Wayne McNeil. It was kind of a fancy club with a dress code unlike the Chateau Madrid. We performed top 40 rock and country and also southern rock. After a long night of performing we frequented the Waffle House in Statesville to pacify our hungry appetites. At that time in the wee hours of the morning the only places that are open are the Waffle Houses and Coffee Houses and 24 hour restaurants like truck stops. 
                                 Left to Right: Keith Hall, Keith White, Max Phillips, David Sheek

                                    Our old Whiskey River Band T-shirts and Business Cards

Left to Right: Kip Snow, Keith White,Keith Murphy(back) Richard (front) Max Phillips, Keith Hall

The Second Chisel Ridge Band

The Second Chisel Ridge Band 

In the year 1977-1978 we organized the Second Chisel Ridge Bluegrass Band. The members were Keith White on acoustic guitar, Jeff Shore on mandolin, myself on electric bass, and Kip Snow on banjo. We entered  the WTQR Country Music Championships in 1980.
                             Left to Right: Jeff Shore and Kip Snow (front) Keith Hall and Keith White (back)

                                Left to Right: Kip Snow, Keith White, Jeff Shore, Keith Hall

                                  Left to Right: Jeff Shore, Keith Hall, Keith White, Kip Snow

and performed at Hanes Mall in Winston Salem North Carolina. We were the winners against several bands and got to perform many of the traveling road shows for the radio station and also at the Dixie Classic Fair. One of our regular places to perform was at SRO Country in Winston Salem. SRO stands for standing room only.  When we performed there we would take World Championship Clogger JC Wagoner who would clog on roller skates on the lighted dance floor. JC later went to  Maggie Valley in North Carolina to perform. Along with paying Chisel Ridge for the Thursday nights Bluegrass performance Wayne the owner paid JC to dance while the band would take its breaks. I remember we did a promo photo shoot with Ray Key who was a practicing photographer and also an Elkin policeman shooting a whole set of pictures to later called us and said there was no film in the camera so we had to come back and do it again. We also performed at an outdoor festival called Pete's August Jam over on the Wildlife Road in Elkin. Pete Davis was the host and organizer of the event. Another band performed with us called Rampage. They played rock while we did the Bluegrass portion. Jim Taylor who I perform with at the present time of this writing played in that band. It's amazing how fate comes around and brings people together.