Thom Nolan
Thom began playing Celtic and folk music during his college days at William and Mary. While living in Los Angeles, Thom performed with the Celtic and folk group Claddagh. For sixteen years Claddah traveled throughout the state of California with an aggressive performance schedule playing at venues, pubs, clubs, parties, festivals and wakes! For more than twenty-five years, Thom worked as a program manager for Crane Aerospace. He also worked in theater and in radio while in Southern California. Thom continues to be active in local community theatre and serves on the Board of North Street Playhouse in Onancock, Virginia. For more than fifteen years, Thom has performed with Bill Troxler to entertain and educate participants in Road Scholar Programs offered on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
Bill Troxler
Bill began playing a broken, hand-me-down Sears-Roebuck guitar while in third-grade. The creative works of Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, Cannon Ball Adderly, The Del-Vikings, Little Richard and other notables of the time drew him into music. Over time piano, saxophone, drums, banjos, citterns, hammer dulcimer, whistles and other musical tools filled his life. These days, he composes music for community theatre productions, podcasts and nature documentaries that air on PBS. He occasionally acts in independent film and local theatre productions. Bill’s professional career focused on teaching electrical engineering and computer science. But, for more than thirty years, he also made time to teach music. He served as president of Capitol Technology University for twenty-seven years. The American Society for Engineering Education selected Bill as a recipient of Berger Award - the highest award presented in his academic discipline. He is a fellow of the Washington Academy of Sciences and a fellow of the American Society for Engineering Education.
John Hines
John was born into a household of musical royalty. Both of his parents were world-famous opera singers. His dad, Jerome Hines, sang basso profundo for forty-three years with the Metropolitan Opera of New York. That record length of service remains unbroken. John’s mom, Lucia Evangelista, sang soprano at Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy. John’s musical training began with the violin while he was in fourth grade. Piano lessons soon followed. John became good enough on piano to accompany his Mother in performance. John and his brothers were awash in the highest quality of classical music. But, John’s musical orientation took a radical turn after he saw the film Urban Cowboy. The music in the film demonstrated the power and universality of the fiddle to him. His attention shifted away from the classical violin and onto the fiddle. Eventually the dobro guitar and the mandolin entered his musical life. Today John’s musicianship is central in the performances of five bands. Salts is one of those fortunate five bands.
What We Do
Salts is an acoustic music trio. We present songs and tunes in various styles including Celtic, humorous and Americana. We are recognized regionally as the band that delivers original music telling the history of the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
Where We Perform
Salts delivers forty or more, ninety-minute shows each year. Most of our shows are sponsored by Road Scholar Programs conducted at Chincoteague Bay Field Station and the Museum of Chincoteague Island. We also do special public performances for other venues.
Recordings
Listen to Tales of Chincoteague and read the histories behind our songs.