The
Cactus Canyon
Contra Band is San Antonio's local
long-standing contra band, formed in 1985. They've played mostly for contra
dances, but have also played for the annual Victorian Gala (and other Fiesta
events), the San Antonio Folklife Festival, and for various other public events
as well as for the occasional wedding. The band appeared in a Blue Bell
Ice Cream commercial which was aired extensively in the late 1980's and early
90's. They usually play for the second Saturday dance in San Antonio.
Steve Richards, on guitar, spoons, and occasional kazoo, is a charter member of Cactus Canyon. He likes tossing off little snippets of the Beatles or some other classic rock song in between dances. In a future life he plans to attend Starfleet Academy.
Maria Larson, on twelve-string guitar, is also an original member. She’s a talented singer and folk songwriter, currently preparing her first CD of mostly original material. A world-class knitter, she often travels to pursue her hobby, and can often be spied knitting in between dances.
Jimmy Drury, on piano, is the newest member of the band. He directed the much-loved Lost Pines Dance Hall in Bastrop. Though he loves playing fiddle, he is a gifted pianist who loves performing classic ragtime piano music. If you’re lucky you might hear him do a little Scott Joplin in between dances.
John Roby, on guitar, is yet another original member. John loves singing folk songs and playing traditional Celtic music. He’s also a devotee of Scottish country dance. He's a dancer, a teacher and something of an impresario of Scottish dance events. He likes to tell jokes in between dances.
Band Representative Brian Schill has been playing the fiddle since the mid-1970s, and started contra dancing around the same time. While living in the Hudson River Valley many years ago, he was privileged to study with Jay Ungar and attended several of Jay’s Fiddle and Dance camps.
Brian started to play for contras in the early 1980s as part of the band "Handyman Special", based in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Shortly after relocating to San Antonio in 1987, he signed on with Cactus Canyon Contra Band, and it’s been gravy ever since. He’s also a regular at the Thursday evening Celtic session at the Brew Moon in San Antonio.