Leroy Silva lived in an area of San Leandro we called Oakie (spelling?) Hill. When I first met him, I was about 19 years old. He was in a band either called Oakland or Skin Tight. I know Skin Tight was also a song they did. I know the chords and it’s a great song to do at a jam night. The band consisted of: Dave Meniketti from Y&T (this was during the two Daves era), Arthur J. Finney on bass, Dwayne Parker (died of a heart attack) on rhythm guitar, and Leroy Silva on drums. He was the first double bass drummer I had ever seen, and sitting behind him, like I did at all the practices was a treat. Back then when we were all kids at 19 and 20, he amazed me….a short guy with long hair that was an absolute monster on drums. After a number of gigs, Dave left and went into the original lineup of Yesterday and Today…a trio consisting of Dave on guitar, Bob Gardner on bass, and Leonard Haze on drums. Dave always got great drummers and it is interesting the first two were Leonard / Leroy.
Most people that knew Leroy Silva in the later years knew him as the blues guitarist, Leroy Brown, because Lee (those of us close could call him that) was a gifted musician. I knew him as a drummer because we played together in 3 bands. He would just sit there and grin at you while blowing you away with his abilities. While most drummers played drums to the music, Leroy played music with his drums. I called him a percussionist, because he was more than a drummer. His style was like jazz, funk, and rock blended together with a very progressive attitude. If I could use only one word to describe Lee’s drumming it would be “flowing”. Leroy was like a liquid drummer who flowed over the musical terrain of a song. And his fills, licks, and solos were outstanding. You’d tell him what a great job he did and he’d look at you and shrug as if to say “ain’t that what it’s supposed to be”? He liked Mitch Mitchell of the Jimi Hendrix Experience and while you could hear the influence, but Lee was unique with his own style. If I remember most of his learning was self-taught, which is why there was some much heart in his playing…a natural no doubt in my mind.
During our wilder days, I used to do spins and steps that would put me behind Lee and we’d get crazy back to back, leaning on one another. We had fun and he always seemed to know exactly, if not better what drum work needed to be on each song. On stage there was definitely a link between us….rhythm guitar and drums always seemed to lock in together. We were like brothers on and off the stage, which is why we were in three bands together.
To show you the kind of person Leroy was, I was on the verge of being homeless, and he took me in. He shared his house with me in the San Leandro Marina area, with his wife, Sandy (sadly they later divorced), his daughter, Gwen, and his son Stephen. One thing his wife made that was interesting was biscuits and chocolate gravy. His children were precious and I looked at them as part of my family. On one occasion, we took a walk around Lake Chabot and I have pictures of Stephen holding hands with my youngest daughter, Sara. In another picture are all the kids at Christmas time, with all these cool wood carvings, done by Lee’s dad. Lee’s dad was totally gifted when it came to wood. He did these cool little wood figures with paddleboards that they would dance on. There was and probably is a lot of talent in the Silva family…I’m not sure what Gwen and Stephen have explored…but I believe the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
After the bands, Lee and I would run into each other at jam nights or jam up at the old house on Oakie Hill and it was always good. I remember when he announced to me, he was going to start playing guitar. That tripped me out, because why would such a great drummer/percussionist change instruments and start all over? He bought a SRV (Stevie Ray) Strat and Fender half stack and started attacking the blues….He got good enough for me to notice and for a number of others to recognize him as an accomplished blues guitarist.
I moved out to Manteca, CA and heard through the grapevine that Lee had cancer of the tongue. I remember calling him and calling him, but due to chemo and how much it takes out of you, his mother buffered my calls. I was able to talk with him later as his health had dramatically improved. We talked one more time before he left the Oakie Hill address and it was a great conversation. We talked about music, church, and health. It sounded like the same old Lee I knew. He moved to the Dublin/Pleasanton area and I had no way to contact him, and because I moved and not many people knew how to contact me. Recently another old friend contacted me for the first time in 15+ years and in his email told me of Lee’s passing. What saddens me is that no one let me know and that I didn’t get the opportunity to spend some time with him before he passed. GOD is good and when I called the number I was given, spoke with Lee’s daughter Gwen, now all grown up and a mom herself. I did tell her I knew where her dad went, as a brother in the Lord, and with GOD’s grace, we’ll do some playing in heaven…unfortunately I will have to miss him here and wait until I get there.
Because of the places I play, churches, coffee shops, and where I live which is not far from Gwen and her family (the Kevins)
