Extraordinary Stories From An Ordinary Guy: The "Silver Bullet Is Back In Town" Story

Bob Seger

It was an ordinary day. Early morning and I am searching for a good spot to watch Hollywood Nights. Not a movie or even a video, but the ultimate tribute to Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band. For years Springettsbury Township in York, Pennsylvania has been presenting summer music programs for the residents of York and surrounding counties. The project is supported by the Pennsylvania Council for the Arts, a state agency, through its regional arts funding partnership, Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts (PPA). The State Government funding comes through an annual appropriation by Pennsylvania's General Assembly and from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

Early morning on the day of the concert.

Carol and I have attended several concerts every summer and have enjoyed every one of them. They all start at 7:00 PM and are held every Wednesday and Sunday evening from the beginning of July through the beginning of August. The concerts are usually packed and seating is on a first come, first served basis with "bring your own seating" the rule of the evening.

Dancing to "Old Time Rock and Roll."

I usually drive the 20 minutes to the Springetts- bury Township Park on the east side of York in the morning and place our chairs on the tiered platforms grassy levels around the outdoor bandstand. People mark their territory with just about anything from chairs and blankets to a space roped off with poles and twine.

Lead vocals for the group are performed by Rick Murphy.

An area directly in front of the bandstand is reserved for dancers. People of all ages attend depending on the era of entertain- ment for the evening. Hollywood Nights tours with a baby grand piano and prides itself on continuing the amazing groundwork laid down by Bob Seger over the past 30 years.

Lead guitarist Chris Uyvari.

Tonight we arrived about a half-hour before the show started to find a packed house. Our chairs were still in place and Carol and I, along with friend Pat and Dale who are visiting for a few days from South Carolina, made ourselves at home and waited for the band to begin. After some introductions we were greeted to the leader of the Hollywood Nights, Rick Murphy as he began his evening with a song we didn't recognize. But then ….. the crowd erupted as the six musicians and back-up vocals joined Rick in Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock and Roll." It seemed like a mass rush for the dance area to join in the fast paced rock and roll song that everyone seemed to know.

The baby grand is played by Alec Hay.

All the songs the band performed were songs that Bob Seger had written during his career which spanned five decades. Bob was born in 1945 and still performs and records today. In 2004 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and in 2012 into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Drummer Matt Decarlo performs.

The songs that Hollywood Nights performed throughout the evening sounded like the original recordings if you were listening with eyes closed, but the excitement of the band members kept you eyes on the stage all evening. As the sun began to lower in the sky I told Carol I would be back and I began weaving my way through the crowd to get down to the stage. Found a few perfect spots for taking photos and started snapping away. Wasn't long before I had to remove my hearing aides to avoid my head from exploding from the sound of the speakers in front of me.

Keyboard and guitar player Roger Mancini.

At times, when the performers saw my camera on them, I felt as if they were performing for me! I returned to my seat in time for one of my favorites for the evening and one of the bands last songs. A soulful, dramatic and emotional performance of Seger's "Turn the Page" which was Seger's classic tale of life on the road was perhaps my favorite of the evening. The crowd was really into the music and the musicians appreciated our efforts to acknowledge them. Can hardly wait until the concerts begins again next year. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.