The free Concert in the Park, sponsored by Douglas County Parks & Recreation and various Carson Valley businesses, drew a record crowd last Friday night as the Comstock Cowboys took to the gazebo stage in Minden Park.
The evening was filled with classic country music as David John sang a mixture of old standards and his own original songs of a western lifestyle long forgotten.
"This is the biggest crowd one of these concerts has ever drawn," Minden maintenance specialist, Kirt Benson, said as he surveyed the sea of people surrounding the pavilion. Parking for the event was at a premium with cars lining Minden streets for several blocks in all directions.
David John and the Comstock Cowboys is comprised of David John on rhythm guitar, mandolin and fiddle; brother Rich Liska providing vocal harmony while playing either steel guitar, dobro, keyboard and blues harp; Rick Hammel on bass; Glenn Buschine on lead guitar; Mike Ansotegui on drums; and Doc Quam with his fiddle. The band kept the crowd tapping their toes through the entire evening. A rendition of "Orange Blossom Special" and the dueling fiddles of David John and Quam brought the audience to their feet in a standing ovation.
"Wow, I've never seen anything like this, even at the Eagles Tribute (the first summer concert of the season) and there was over a thousand people for that concert," Benson said.
David John announced the release of a new CD, "Break It To The Cowboy" due to be released by September. There will be 14 songs on it, 11 of which were written by David John.
The local group has been performing all over the western states for many years. Since the first of the year, Wal-Mart has carried the David John and the Comstock Cowboy collection of CDs.
"It's pretty exciting," David John said about the Wal-Mart contract. "Not only is our work available locally but through stores in most of the western states now.
"It's been a pretty busy summer for us," he said. "But, we still play at the Bucket of Blood in Virginia City every time we are not booked somewhere else. We do just enough traveling as to not get tired of it but I love playing at the Bucket of Blood because we get to meet more tourists there."
The group seldom plays in a "bar-like" atmosphere, but for the Cowboys the Bucket of Blood is different.
"We are there to lend color and entertainment for the tourists," David John said. "As for Buckaroos, it was my bar and I could play what I wanted."
David John and his band-member brother, Rich Liska, grew up in Connecticut as farm boys in an area surrounded by forest with no nearby neighbors. He started playing guitar at the age of 10 with his brothers Walt and Rich or anyone else who could play an instrument. After paying his musical dues in New York and Tin Pan Alley, he turned his attention toward Nashville where he developed his talents in song writing.
The New Englander's heart was always in the west. Wanting to do the music style of country and western greats like Marty Robbins, Bob Wills or the Sons of the Pioneers, David John and Liska came to Nevada in 1990. They opened up Buckaroos in Gardnerville in 1991 and started forming the band that has become the Comstock Cowboys and a place where they could play the type of music they loved.
"It was difficult to convey the concept of 'Tumblin' Tumbleweeds' to someone on the East Coast," Liska said.
"I guess if we had stayed in Connecticut, we would probably be singing sea shanties," David John said.
David John and the Comstock Cowboys can be seen all over Northern Nevada and California as well as the Bucket of Blood throughout the year.
Friday's concert was sponsored by Carson Valley Medical Center, Bing Materials and Carson Valley Stor-All.
The next Concert in the Park is 6:30-8:30 p.m. July 27 when the Jeff Jones Band plays at Minden Park.
The Jeff Jones Band mixes their southern rock roots with slide guitar, vintage keyboards and funky beats and lyrics.
Minden's summer concert series is offered free by Douglas County Parks & Recreation Department.
