OnTheScene- Silver Strings

Seguin Staple Opens the doors of Success for a local Musician

Story By Dalondo Moultriephotos by Felicia Frazar and Courtesy photos

Weddings can be momentous. They are most certainly life changing.

But for a local man, one wedding changed his life and he wasn’t even the groom.

A few years ago, Gabe Galvan of Seguin served as best man at his friend’s wedding and sang a song for the happy couple. What happened next has put him on a path he hadn’t foreseen prior to the wedding.

“Someone from the (Seguin) Silver Center was there and they hinted that I should go talk to Glenda Layton — who is in charge of the Silver Center — to get on their Silver Opry, which is their showcase country music show,” Galvan said. “She gave me the chance to sing on that Silver Opry. That’s how I met my band; they played as the house band for the Silver Center Opry.”

Galvan began playing guitar about six years ago and started doing some singing around that time. But it wasn’t until he booked the Silver Opry that he

began taking things seriously and doing shows regularly.

He credits Layton with giving him the break that sent him on his way doing shows and performing with a band in front of live audiences. Previously, he had sung with his high school choir but nothing like the Silver Opry. And, according to Galvan and Layton, she booked him without even a proper audition. After someone sent Galvan to Layton to ask for a spot on the bill, she said the conversation went something like this.

“He came in and he said ‘I’d like to play at your Opry,’” Layton said.

Layton: Well, can you sing?

Galvan: Yes, ma’am, I can.

Layton: Do you have anything I can hear?

Galvan: No, ma’am. I just sing in church.

Layton: “Well sing me something.”

Galvan sang a cappella and impressed Layton, she said.

“I was just kind of giggling and messing with him to make sure,” Layton said. “The whole world thinks they can sing but he’s got a beautiful voice.”

Galvan primarily sings traditional country music. He sings some original songs but mostly covers artists like George Strait and Randy Travis.

He and his band perform together around the region. They play together in the Silver Center’s Crystal Chandelier Ballroom, at Freiheit Country Store in New Braunfels and mostly at The Den in La Vernia, 27-year-old Galvan said.

Mostly what they play, some might call country dance music, he said. Their audiences are comprised of lots of two-steppers, Galvan said.

He’s writing songs and plans to put out an album some time this year. The sky is the limit for young Galvan and he hopes his talents continue to take him up.

His goal is to someday make a living at performing, no matter how meager that living is, and also tour as a country singer, Galvan said.

“I don’t want to dream too big,” he said. “Right now, I want to try to be practical and step by step. I know it’s a grind.

“But for a small portion of my life, I’d like to make a living doing it, maybe not a great living but just to be able to say I did it and experience it.”

That’s a far stretch from not so long ago when he first played at the Silver Center and nerves nearly got the best of him.

“I was a nervous wreck,” Galvan said. “I botched one or two of the songs horribly.”

He thanks Layton for having faith in him and sticking with him

She, in turn, said she’s “happy to have helped.” She and others have noticed Galvan’s confidence grow as he improves on his craft, Layton said.

There may be obstacles but Layton knows Galvan has the talent to make his own wishes come true.

“He’s just blossomed in his ability to pursue this trade, his dream of being a country music singer,” Layton said. “I think he can go really far. There’s just lots of things that are not simple to do from Seguin, Texas.”

Simple or not Galvan plans to sing his heart out in pursuit of his goals.