Columnist Jerry Fink: Sidro’s Armada remains afloat in Las Vegas

Friday, Nov. 30, 2001 | 9:43 a.m.

Jerry Fink's lounge column appears on Fridays. Reach him at 259-4058 or jerry@ lasvegassun.com.

I happened to be walking through the Stardust with a couple of friends visiting from out of town this week when I heard the sound of fiddle music coming from the Starlight Lounge.

Always a sucker for fiddle music -- the faster the better -- I paused outside the lounge and listened to the band till the piece ended. Then the group began playing one of Herb Alpert's classic tunes and I was hooked. I couldn't leave.

Who were these guys?

The sign said Sidro's Armada.

I had no idea I was listening to one of the great local groups from the '60s and '70s -- when it was known as the Sneakers and featured a singer/comedienne/dancer by the name of Beverlee Brown.

I only knew what I was hearing was magnetic and I couldn't pull myself away.

Old-timers with the slightest knowledge of the roots of the entertainment scene in Las Vegas probably know Sidro Garcia, whose Sneakers opened for such headliners as Johnny Mathis, George Burns, Glen Campbell, Al Martino, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Willie Nelson and many others.

He and then-wife Beverlee Brown made frequent appearances with such television hosts as Merv Griffin, Steve Allen, Jim Nabors and Campbell.

After Brown left Garcia and the band in the early '70s, its name was changed to Sidro's Armada. When Brown returned, the new name stuck.

Garcia, 60, said his ex-wife had so much talent that she was offered her own television variety show early on in their Sneakers career, but she turned it down to stay with the band. But for the year's split, she was with the band for about 20 years.

Garcia said Brown still lives in Las Vegas.

"We're still good friends," he said. "I saw her just the other day."

When the Sneakers first formed in Albuquerque, N.M., in 1959, the band included brothers Sidro, Sal and Ray, two cousins and Brown.

Today Sidro and Sal, 62, are the only two original members left, and Sal is leaving after the first of the year, returning to the family's roots in a small town outside Albuquerque.

"Counting the time we performed together as kids, Sal and I have been onstage together for more than 50 years," Sidro said.

Sal plays saxophone and percussion. Mary Ball is the group's vocalist. Steve Jordan is on drums. Steve Sand plays keyboard, saxophone, trombone and fiddle. Tony Chavez plays keyboard, trumpet and trombone. For the past three years the group has performed at the Stardust, 5 p.m.-10:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

"I love to work early," Sidro Garcia said. "We draw near-capacity crowds almost every night. We do mostly stuff from the '70s and '80s, but we do a lot of everything."

Among the repertoire is flamenco guitar music. Garcia has been a virtuoso on classic guitar since childhood.

He has known his calling was going to be in the music field since the age of 8, when he was a member of his family's band. The band played local dances.

In 1959 Garcia entered college and formed the Sneakers. He quit college in his third year to tour briefly with singer Sue Thompson ("Sad Movies Always Make Me Cry" and "Norman").

The Thompson tour lasted about eight months. When it ended, Garcia rejoined the Sneakers. In 1966 the group debuted in Las Vegas, performing with Jackie Mason at the Aladdin.

Sidro's Armada was one of the top lounge acts in Las Vegas for more than 12 years. Old-timers say the act sizzled, with lots of showmanship -- choreography, comedy and music.

But things changed in the late '70s, early '80s.

"Disco came along and audiences wanted to dance," Garcia said. "We had worked on being showy. We continued to do that, but we played for dancers as well."

Today it's tougher finding regular gigs. Garcia says he's happy he has a relationship with the Stardust.

"It seems like casinos are going more for the younger bands today," Garcia said.

Which is a shame because audiences don't know what they are missing.

"In the old days, I think there was more respect for lounge acts," Garcia commented. "But today, it has become very political in getting a job."

Although his brother, Sal, is retiring, Garcia isn't planning on quitting anytime soon.

"I just want to keep on working," he said. "Music is my whole life."

Lounging around