About Green Chili Finger
Our story begins with three co-workers: Wade, Ron (“Stixx”) and Smoke. Talk around the water cooler one day led to discovering a shared interest in playing live music. Soon after, a several day jam session in east Texas followed which worked up a real appetite for these fellas. So, Stixx prepared his new band mates breakfast tacos with what any self-respecting Texan would use: GREEN CHILI peppers. Well, Stixx worked so fast, he didn’t notice the open GREEN CHILI can lid which “leaped up and bit” a wayward FINGER. A hospital trip and a few stitches later, the boys were back to playin’ — and GREEN CHILI FINGER was born!
Smoke – Lead Guitar
AM radio, pop-rock, Elvis, and Motown records were always in the air growing up. But “Kiss Alive II” changed everything. Next came AC/DC, Jimi Hendrix and Van Halen, game changers that inspired picking up the guitar. A no-name acoustic (trashed Jimi style!) led to the first electric guitar, a 1983 Gibson built black beauty Les Paul Custom with gold hardware. Early self-taught songs included cuts from Judas Priest, Van Halen and Dokken. Other influential bands included: Led Zeppelin, Ozzy, Metallica, Megadeth, Testament, Dio, The Doors, Pink Floyd and Black Sabbath. Smoke’s guitar influences include: Jimi, Eddie, George Lynch, SRV, Randy Rhoads, Yngwie, Jake E. Lee, Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert, and Zakk Wylde. For live performance, Smoke uses Luxxtone Machete guitars, Kemper Profiler for amplification, Divine Noise (the best!) cables, and a variety of Dunlop, MXR and Morley pedals.
Wade Phillips – Lead Vocals
Wade is a fan of 80s, 90s and 00’s popular rock and country music, but enjoys most genres of music when played live. He began singing mainly in church and performed an occasional wedding song for friends and family. But, it wasn’t until a night with friends at a karaoke bar singing “Wanted Dead or Alive” when he was in grad school that he thought … yeah it would sure be fun to sing in a band someday. Well, fast forward a couple of decades and a chance discussion at work planted the GCF seed. Wade’s musical influences include Jon Bon Jovi (Bon Jovi), Sammy Hagar (Van Halen, solo), Scott Stapp (Creed, solo), Mark Tremonti (Creed, Alter Bridge, solo), Layne Staley (Alice in Chains), and Jack Russell (Great White).
Ron Travis (“Stixx”) – Drums
Stixx developed an interest in drums at about age 6. After getting a small kit and enrolling in some basic lessons, he has played drums on and off for the last 50+ years (notwithstanding a very long dormant period!!). Stixx musical influences were mainly from the 1970s, and include artists such as The Allman Brothers Band, Traffic, Cream, and Government Mule. Stixx kits include Ludwig Classic Maple or Yamaha Stage Custom drums and Zildjian K, A, and S Series cymbals.
Matt Travis (“Speed”) – Rhythm Guitar, Keyboards
Speed likes music, and also, brevity.
Joe Romere – Bass
As Joe’s double digit years arrived, The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and The Guess Who became some of his favorite groups to listen to. Several of his childhood friends took up instruments and earnestly tried to cover the great songs that era put out. Joe joined in on the fun when he purchased his first guitar in his late teens and it became his #1 life long hobby. Fast forward, while raising a family and maintaining a satisfying work career, he gigged as a member of the now defunct FYA band. Shortly after that bands breakup, he retired from his day job of 35 years. After hanging ’em up, he caught one of those right place at the right time waves to become a member of Green Chili Finger.
Sound Engineers
Eric Wynn Romere
Lonnie Best
The band’s backbone — Wynn and Lonnie. These dependable rock solid sound engineers are ready to tame any sized venue hosting GCF.