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Michael Gerry finds his home at the Silver Star
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski master’s degree work. It’s always been W hen Michael Gerry was a toddler, he was transfixed by a phonograph player. It was a sign of music.” At the “ripe old age of 12 or 13,” Gerry formed a band with friends and played the saxophone. The act needed a bassist, so he swapped instruments. “We couldn’t find a bass player in things to come — a lifelong dedication our age range,” he says. “I always loved to music. hearing the bass. We went to a pawn
“There was never any dispute what I shop in Downtown Chicago with a was destined to do,” he says. “It’s been buddy at 13 or 14 and bought a Sears throughout my entire life.” Silvertone bass.
Now, Gerry is the bassist/saxophonist/ “It was about $30 — it was all the vocalist at East Mesa’s Silver Star Theater money I could afford back then. It came in shows like Solid Gold Rock ‘n’ Roll, very easy to me. Within a week or two, Malt Shop Memories and True Country. I was playing bass in this rock ‘n’ roll
“The real thrill of being involved with band.” the Silver Star is all the entertainers and At 17, the band — who went by musicians and singers are top rate,” he a variety of names, he says — was says. signed to the William Morris Agency,
“This is not a bar band. We’re not a Hollywood-based talent agency. He weekend warriors. Everybody on the spent a summer opening for the Beach stage has a wealth of experience. The Boys on tour. level of the show and the entertainers “This started pretty young for me,” is far above what any other theater or Gerry says. “Mercury (Records) was venue would get, except for a touring interested in us. All of us were underage. show coming into town from out of state Two of the parents refused to sign the somewhere. It’s a special environment.” contract. They knew that if we went
Gerry is no different. He was on the road and continued touring, we “handpicked” by Andrew Lloyd Webber could not go to college. to perform music for Broadway shows “We would have given up that window like “Cats,” “Phantom of the Opera” and of opportunity to go to college and have “Les Miserables.” a ‘normal’ college experience. I went to
Born and raised in Chicago, Gerry college and a couple of the guys in the studied at the American Conservatory band went into the Army.” of Music and graduated from Indiana After attending Indiana University, University as a woodwind major but was Gerry returned to Chicago. equally involved playing bass guitar and string bass. Gerry has also played on THE DOORS KEEP OPENING commercials for major airlines, Coors, Jingles — and the need for bassists McDonald’s and Sears. who could read music — were booming. LIFELONG LOVE As a result, Gerry spent his days in recording studios working on hundreds
While most kids were in school, of commercials. He mentioned to a Gerry was taking “serious” music contract musician that he was interested lessons. Gerry’s first instruments were in theater work. the accordion, which, he says, he The doors kept opening. “zipped” through at 5 years old, and the “I started working at theaters, backing saxophone. the shows that came into the Chicago
“I ended up continuing to play the area,” Gerry says. “I was super, super saxophone all through high school fortunate to play with real stars who and college,” he says. “I started at the did them — Yul Brynner in ‘The King American Conservatory of Music in and I,’ Robert Goulet in ‘Camelot’ and Chicago as a woodwind major and then Angela Lansbury in ‘Sweeney Todd.’ I transferred to Indiana University, “I did that for about 10 years in where I graduated and did post-grad Chicago, doing jingle work during the day and in the theaters backing up the top, top shows at night.”
After frequently saying no, he accepted a position touring with Broadway shows. He received an invitation to audition for Andrew Lloyd Webber.
“Andrew Lloyd Webber was sitting there. He wanted to hear rhythm sections, which is bass, drums, guitar and keyboards,” he says. “That is the nucleus going on all the time. The other instruments are important, but sort of sweeteners.”
His rhythm section was chosen, and he hit the road for about a decade. Not being at home for an extended length of time, he says was “mind changing.”
“It really affects your life,” he says.
His life changed even further when he was in Seoul, Korea, performing with “Les Miserables.” He was lost and met a Korean woman who put him on the right path. Ann is now his wife and the gift shop manager at Silver Star Theater.
“You never know when you’re going to meet someone,” he says. “Everybody loves her. She can’t do enough for everyone. She just goes out of her way. That’s part of her DNA.”
Gerry eventually bought a house in Mesa, where Silver Star Theater is based. He performs in a variety of bands, hitting stages at corporate events, RV parks and retirement centers.
He enjoys the variety at the Silver Star Theater as it keeps his career fresh.
“The songs aren’t the same from show to show,” he says. “We do ’50s music. We do classic rock ‘n’ roll, which is everything from the 1960s on. The shows really encompass everything. We have a variety show that has jazz and Broadway, country, and rock ‘n’ roll. Plus, there’s a buffet. Guests can get a taste of everything.
“We have a country show and we put special shows together for New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day. It’s a great environment and a great venue to play in.”
