Mike Heil
Mike started playing guitar in junior high school. Later in college he played with a small acoustic combo called “Sunset”. Fast forward to 1992 and Mike started playing guitar with the worship team at New Hope Community Church in Alta Loma, CA. At New Hope, he was asked to put a country band together for a Valentines banquet. Mike did so and the rest is history.Mike was influenced by Classic Rock of the 60s and 70s. He turned to country in the 80s because of the lyrics, harmonies, and fun of country music.
The Silverados started playing at coffee shops and street fairs and the band was on their way.
As the founding member of The Silverados, Mike has worked diligently over the past 19 years to advance the band in the community and Southern California. “The chemistry of the band is fantastic and it is still great fun after 19 years together,” says Mike.
When not playing with The Silverados, Mike owns a small business and the band is a nice break from the rigors of running a company.
Mike lives in Alta Loma with his wife and 15 year old daughter and has 2 daughters up and out of the house at 31 and 29 years old.
Doug Hanks
Doug formed his first band when he was twelve and never looked back!An original member of The Silverados, he sings and plays lead guitar. Raised on Merle Haggard and Buck Owens, Doug’s upbringing 30 miles north of Bakersfield established solid roots in country music. Later, The Beatles, Larry Norman, James Taylor, and Jackson Browne rounded out his folk-rock influences. He is also an active member of the Nashville Songwriters Association, International.
Blue Sky Sliding is Doug’s newest CD release– a mixture of country and pop. Get it on iTunes!
A veteran of the stage, his 1983 release, “Walking in the Father’s Love” received extensive airplay in the U.S. and Canada. It featured Joe English on drums (home from playing with Paul McCartney & Wings). He has also published songs with Maranatha! Music. Doug also leads worship at Hillside Community Church in Alta Loma, CA.
When he is not playing music, Doug teaches 6th grade, but then he plays music again to relax.
What does he like about being a Silverado? The free water at the Concerts in the Park. Mmmmm! Delicioso!
Margaux
Margaux was born in the Philippines but grew up in Southern California from the time she was 4 years old. She started dancing and singing at a competitive level in Junior High and by the time she was a Senior in High school, had won multiple awards for dance and Solo singing competitions with the high school show choir.In college, Margaux was part of a Christian Music group called Ordinary People and toured all over Southern California. Along with some friends, she joined a reality competition called the WBs “Popstars” where she made the final cut for the girl band Eden’s Crush. During that experience she worked with world-renowned producer, David Foster, and Michael Jackson’s choreographer, Travis Payne. The music group and industry didn’t fit into who Margaux was as a Christian, so she turned down the contract.
Over the last 20 years, Margaux has continued to serve in multiple ministries but has found a home with the Worship Ministry of Calvary Chapel Chino Valley. She is excited to be able to share her musical talents with the band.
When she’s not singing, Margaux coaches and mentors new teachers for a local school district. She enjoys hanging with her hubby and watching her son play travel baseball and her daughter sing in her musical theatre shows.
Julie Wuertz
When she was growing up her dad always told her she should be a country singer… who knew!Julie was born and raised in Southern California. She grew up going to a large Baptist Church with a great music program. She got to sing, act, go on tours and even record children’s albums. Though she is from the 80’s generation, her musical roots go much further than that. She grew up listening to Tanya Tucker, Glen Campbell, James Taylor, CS&N, and the Eagles. She still loves music with great harmonies today.
Julie has been with the Silverados since the beginning. She still loves performing at all of the different venues. Julie says, ” One of the best things at the Concerts in the Parks is having all of the girls come up and sing with us for a song. What a blast!” For her the Silverados is more than a band, it’s a family.
When Julie isn’t hanging with the band, she is with her husband and 2 (nearly grown) children. She and her family live in Chino and she works for a great local escrow company in Claremont. And, of course, you can still find her singing on a Sunday morning at Pomona First Baptist, the same church she grew up in.
Ray Ochoa
Ray started banging on the drums at the young age of four years old. He hails from a family with a strong musical background that trails back to Gospel roots in Georgia.He studied percussion and played in the drum line in high school as well as competed in many “solo and ensemble” contests. He advanced to the state finals several times.
Ray studied music education, drums, and percussion at Midwestern State University in Texas and has performed in numerous types of bands. He is able to play multiple genres which include: Rock, Funk, R&B, Jazz, Big band, Fusion, and yes COUNTRY.
He enjoys playing on his church’s worship team and working as an instructor at the church’s annual Music Arts Camp. His musical philosophy is “One should continually study music and practice his/her instrument because the learning process never ends.”
He is most proud of his musical family. His wife sings, his son is an accomplished guitar player, and his daughter sings, plays several instruments, and is passionate about musical theater.
Steve Sanchez
As an old rock and roller from “way back” in the 60’s, Steve Sanchez brings the unique lead guitar chops that give the Silverados their signature sound. As one of the original members from the beginning he has proved to be a solid lead from classic rock to the latest country sounds utilizing classic amps and synthesized instrument sounds that only his talent can produce.Steve came from a musical family and grew up performing, recording, and touring in bands in the 60’s. Opening for many headliner groups such as the Who, Santana, and many others. Today, along with playing in the Silverados, he is a worship leader at his church and spends time arranging, recording, and listening to his extensive collection of classic rock and jazz LP records.
Matt Phillips
Growing up in Southern California, Matthew’s musical journey started in the 2nd grade when his class learned to play the recorder and then the clarinet in the school band. Popular music of the time, like Prince, Duran Duran and Van Halen, took Matt’s attention from the clarinet to the guitar, bass and piano. Matthew has performed with many local bands in the Inland Empire (Resilience, the Gregg Edwards Band, Natalie Brooke Duo, Lazy Susan, and more) and has independently released his own music. Never Far From Mind and On Second Thought can be streamed on Spotify, Apple Music and other online platforms. Matthew also teaches the guitar, bass guitar, and piano privately and has done so since 1995. Matthew Phillips has been playing the guitar, bass and piano (occasionally drums) with the Silverados on and off since 2002 and is now a permanent member.
James Jenking
Born and raised in Southern California (with a short detour to Kansas for some schooling), Jim started piano lessons and age 6 and by age 11 decided to learn the guitar. Mixing folk with a little Chopin, Peter, Paul, and Mary, and Leonard Cohen, with a sprinkling of the Beatles, Cream, Canned Heat, and The Butterfield Blues Band, Jim joined his first garage band at 15--playing bass. He has been playing in bands ever since.Jim has also been a member of several worship bands over the past 40 years as well as a worship leader and mentor of other worship leaders--musical expression that has brought him profound joy. When not playing music, Jim enjoys spending time taking motorcycle rides with his wife, enjoying his two daughters and five grandchildren, and serving his two cats, Liam and Lexi. He is a recently retired English professor and dean from a local community college and still enjoys collecting and stacking books around the house that he will eventually read. So far, there has been nothing he has enjoyed quite as much as playing for live audiences, and as the newest member of ROHD, he is looking forward to many more gigs to come!!