Bluesilver

What happens when some original members of a classic sixties rock band get together after thirty plus years to share a beer? Put the band back together, of course! Blues Experience, played the Philadelphia area in the late sixties at various venues, often performing at Hecate’s Circle in Germantown with other Philly fav’s like Sweet Stavin’ Chain, Woody’s Truck Stop, Elizabeth, Rock Island Line and Evil Seed. If you remember the summer of love and beyond, bell bottom pants, be-in’s at Belmont Plateau, why you bought incense, Vietnam protests and the best rock and roll music of all time, you may remember Blues Experience. Of course, they say if you remember the 60’s, you probably weren’t there, so it’s OK if you just don’t remember!

Well, today, the bell bottoms don’t fit very well and sadly, not all of the original members are still around. But it just seemed like the right thing to do for some old friends to get back together playing some of the songs folks loved us for way back then, some others that we (and we hope you) like to sing along with and dance to, plus some great new originals and, of course the blues! Musically, we’ve matured, like wine growing better with age, so there aren’t as many of the psychedelic or heavy rock offerings (don’t worry we will still do the one’s you love), just more of the songs you remember and always liked, but haven’t heard in a while. It’s meant to be happy music and great times when you’re with Bluesilver. We hope you’ll leave our performances wanting to come back again and again because you had a great time sharing a few moments with friends and because we entertained you! While we miss some of our members from the original line-up, remembering the great times and friendship we shared, but we really enjoy the chemistry of this new group of friends. We appreciate more what we have then we did when we were younger; the talents bestowed on us and sharing them with you. We hope you will like this new band; a bit older, certainly wiser and we think, even better….meet (in alphabetical order) Bluesilver!!

Guitarist Jack Coupe is one of the founding members of the original Blues Experience. A true Gemini, he has two distinct musical sides; one rooted in the great pop-rock music of the 60’s, 70’s and beyond, and another in the blues. Originally self taught after he bugged his parents to buy him a cheap guitar, he then went on with some friends to bring the original band together. Later, Jack went on to study with his music mentor, bluesman “Philadelphia” Jerry Ricks. Lessons from Jerry were unique, often sharing stories, music and riffs with some of the greatest bluesmen including Buddy Guy, John Hurt, Brownie McGee and Mississippi Fred McDowell who frequently visited Philadelphia, staying at Jerry’s home and becoming the instructors for lessons. Jack learned guitar along with other talented young local musicians, including John Oates from Hall and Oates and Rick Bazilian and Rob Hyman from the Hooters, as one of “Jerry’s Kids”, a name given to the students by Buddy Guy. Jerry gave Jack a love for the delta sound, and took him from a rock oriented musician deep into the blues. After Blues Experience, he formed the Jack Coupe Blues Group, playing many of the 70’s blues venues across the Delaware Valley. He then went on to work as a disc jockey at a number of radio stations, and still DJ’s and MC’s events today. He’s often seen sparring with fellow player Tom Stokes over 60’s and 70’s music trivia.

“PhillyJack” is married to his high school sweetheart Norma (yes, the same Norma from Hecate’s)! They have a son John attending Savannah College of Art and Design, studying computer animation. Jack owns a business selling and servicing radio communications equipment, but still takes time to repair and restore classic electronic music items, especially Lab Series amplifiers. He also voices radio and TV commercials and has even appeared as the voice of an international video game character! He credits Ricks, B.B. King and Alvin Lee as his musical influences.

Jack is also responsible for much of the band’s behind-the-scenes logistics and marketing, and, along with Bluesilver musical director Tom Stokes and the other band members, plants the seeds for many of the band’s unique musical arrangements. Usually providing the driving rhythm behind Bluesilver’s songs, watch out for his soaring blues solos that will drive you right into the heart of Chicago’s south side blues district.

Oh, just wait ‘til you hear Bluesilver’s newest member, Cheryl Douglas-Henderson. When she auditioned, band members instantly became little kids putting the last piece into a giant jigsaw puzzle! Cheryl’s effervescent personality fit like a custom tailored glove and they immediately knew the incredible voice they were hearing was destined for Bluesilver’s sound! But why wouldn’t it, since she comes from an incredible musical family! In the late 1930’s, her father, Billy Douglas, was person