HIDING SALEM • Weaving Passionate Experimentation Into the Fabric of Popular Music

The band Hiding Salem is one of the newer creative alliances making waves in our regional musical scene, scoring numerous nominations in our upcoming 2025 Music Awards celebration in May, and engaging increasing numbers of fans with their particular brand of bluesy, thick, and atmospheric jam-oriented rock music that weaves passion and experimentation into their sound.

Hiding Salem resonates with a purposefully eclectic blend of Rock, Blues, Jazz, and Swing influences  carefully blended into one hot melting pot of sound, which is best understood by dissecting the background of each their diverse members. 

Consisting of original founding member, lead vocalist, and saxophonist Sarah Hyde, guitarist Chris Ford, bassist Sachin Ramani, drummer Doug Isom, and keyboardist/vocalist Shannon Pingston, the band was officially established back in December, 2019, undergoing an evolving evolution of sound shaped by different members over the six years since their inception.

In order to better understand the origins of their collective sound, it helps to understand how each member got interested and engaged with creating music, along with some of the musical influences inspiring them to pursue it deeper.

“When I was a kid who first drew me to music was Hoots the Owl from Sesame Street,” laughs Sarah. “I wanted to play saxophone like Hoots so badly that on my fifth birthday my parents bought me my first saxophone, but six months to a year later my front two teeth fell out, so I couldn’t actually start playing it until the age of eight.  I was home schooled all through the ninth grade and my parents arranged it so I could go to the local middle school band and play with them, which I did until we moved to Bay City, when I started playing with the Central High Marching Band for two years, as well as choir, and then I didn’t touch music for about 15 years until I started bartending and got known for being able to pour drinks while singing Karaoke at the same time.”

“This guy came in one night while I was singing the song Zombie by The Cranberries and insisted I  sing with his band, which I did for six months as a backup singer until I licked somebody’s face and got kicked out of that band and didn’t have a band for a while. But I found the band atmosphere so much fun that I wanted to do it again, so put an ad on Craig’s list and that’s how I got back into performing and creating live music.”

When asked what artists helped inspire her musical sensibilities in terms of her songwriting talentss, the first band Sarah references is BUSH. “I absolutely love Gavin Rossdale as well as The Red Hot Chili Peppers and singer Anthony Kiedis, Fiona Apple, Regina Spektor - all those artists were my first introduction to music. My parents didn’t listen to music in the car except for Christian music, so my first big exposure was with the 1995 pop scene mostly.  I loved groups like Hanson and Backstreet Boys, and Britney Spears, but the ‘90s Alternative scene had my heart - groups like Blink 182 and Smashing Pumpkins and all of those bands.”

What is most interesting is the way Sarah absorbed these influences when it came time to start writing her own material. “I found myself listening to other artists and trying to capture not what their words or lyrics were saying so much as what they made you feel from their music.  The goal with my songwriting is to make the listener feel something from my music, whether it’s having a good time or seducing someone.”

Keyboardist and vocalist Shannon Pingston is one of the newer members to join Hiding Salem, and admits that singing is somewhat new for her. “I’ve played piano my whole life, she explains, “and officially started piano lessons at the age of eight, but before that got one of those toy organs with numbers on the keys, and then learned to play recorder in school, which taught me to read music and opened the doors to new instruments.  My sister got a toy Casio keyboard for Christmas one year and never touched it, so I taught myself to read and play music with both hands before ever taking my first lesson.  I begged my parents for music lessons and my Dad’s a musician who performs with the Bay City Chorale and Saginaw Choral Society, and he saw how well I was doing, so I was able to start formal lessons and within two weeks had this beautiful Baldwin piano.”

Actively taking lessons until the age of 16, while in Marching Band at high school Shannon played French Horn and joined the Jazz Band as a keyboardist, but also had a passion for soccer. “I  got into that sport, which I found really helped develop my stamina and was a goalie, but also played midfield and would jam my fingers. Eventually my teacher said I needed to decide whether I wanted to be a pianist or a soccer player, but because I was a kid I wanted to do both.”

Earning her degree in psychology while in college, Shannon never contemplated going into music as a career, and has only been with Hiding Salem for about one year. “I was introduce to the stage by Carrie Westbay and Jon Dillman, who both knew I could play and eventually coaxed me to get on stage.  I’ve never played in a band before and always played Classical or Broadway music on the piano, reading from sheet music, but Hiding Salem doesn’t use sheet music so none of that matters now, and this is all very new for me. But that’s how you learn - how to lay back on harmonies while Sarah is singing, and improvising while creating music, as opposed to following sheet music.”

“As for influences, The Beatles were my guys. When I was a kid my bedroom was covered with their photos - every square inch, and  in the 90s it was Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and all those Seattle Sound bands,” she continues.” I was into the older classic rock, which Sarah wasn’t really exposed to as much, so expanding influences has definitely broadened the band’s repertoire and sensibilities.”

Guitarist Chris Ford cites his major musical inspirations as "70’s Progressive Rock and Jazz/Rock fusion.  Larry Coryell and John McLaughlin are two major sources of inspiration. Music started at home for me. My father played many different instruments. I can remember plunking on the piano as a toddler. My parents also had a wide range of records in their collection, so I would sit in front of  the record player for hours playing different  styles of music.  My first formal lessons were on the violin in elementary school but it didn’t stick. As far back as I can remember I was always making melodies on anything I could get my hands on. It’s an obsession."

As for drummer Doug Isom, his beginnings started at the age of three playing pots and pans on the floor in the kitchen. “Through the years my dad taught me rudiments in various techniques until I got into the school band system. At the age of eight years-old, I played my first gig in front of a live audience when I sat on my dad‘s lap and played the hands to the Safari’s song: “Wipe Out“ and he played the feet.  My biggest musical inspiration is my dad. He was a drummer, my brother is a drummer, my oldest son is a drummer, my brother’s  son is a drummer. It’s in our blood."

Last but certainly not least, bassist Sachin Ramani entered the picture while the group was recording their first album in the basement of his house. “I’d  been playing guitar since the age of eight and had acquired a bass through a buddy, but never touched it until joining Hiding Salem, but now I actually prefer it,” he explains. “Everybody is real pleased with my playing and bass is easier to play for me, plus I like it because it sets the vibe to what people are grooving to. I like to stay in the pocket so the rest of the band can get the jam going and go off into space.”

The Birth of a Band

Sarah Hyde is the only original member of Hiding Salem and relates how originally the group came together through an ad she placed on Craig’s List that founding members Geoff Pelkey, Tim Cary, and  Jeff Cottrell responded to. 

“They were looking for a singer and I went to rehearse with them and they liked what they heard, so said I was in the group, which was awesome of them,” reflects Sarah.  “We knew we needed another  guitarist, so put another ad out and found Nate Degner, which was in December of 2019. We  booked our first gig in March of 2020 and then COVID hit.”

While that was going on and the world was hibernating, the group decided to write music and started focusing upon developing original material.  “The first two singles we wrote were Coffee and Douchebag, and then followed those two with I Made You Everything and Lame,  and then started writing our first album and recorded it.  We recorded the album at Tim’s house, but then Jeff Cottrell dropped out so we were looking for a bass player, which is when Sachin entered the picture and we convinced him to join us.”

“Whites Bar was closed during COVID and I love live music, so the band was recording their album at my house and when Geoff dropped out, they convinced me to join the group, explains Sachin. “Their stuff was already at my house and in my basement and I already owned a bass, even though I hadn’t played it much.”

Guitarist Chris Ford ended up replacing Nathan, but then as fate would have it, six months into his journey with the band he experienced an aortic distension. “Chris basically died and came back to life,” explains Sarah.  “He had to re-teach himself to play guitar because he lost his left index finger, yet you would never know it when you hear him perform. He came back after six months and I’m amazed at how much he improved, which is a testament to how well people can adapt when faced with hardships. I think he plays even better than before he lost his finger, especially with solos.”

The group’s newest member, Doug Isom, jumped on board after Geoff Pelkey left the group. “We’re still friends with all these guys,” notes Sarah, “but since Doug entered the picture he’s stepped our game up and really elevated us. He plays drums and his Dad is a drummer, his brother is a drummer, everyone in his family plays drums, which is pretty wild. He’s from Durand so comes up every week to rehearse with us and has been very helpful.”

“We try to take all these sounds and styles of music, look at our songs, and consider each song in terms of how these different genres best represent it,” states Shannon. “We don’t want to be in a box in terms of being tied down to one style of music, so we play multiple genres of music,  but have it sound like us with each song we do.”

“What sets us apart is having a lead female vocalist who can play the sax, along with an excellent keyboardist, which makes such a huge difference,” notes Sachin “With the addition of Doug and Chris we really took off and now we’re super tight. Every Wednesday evening we practice, and each session takes us further and makes us tighter.”

Recently the group did a live streaming show that was recorded at Papa Doc Studios and says their fan base on Facebook has gone from 5oo to almost 1000 as a result. “When we started playing at White’s Bar things began a bit slow, but the last time we performed there we had a full house, and now that we’re traveling more people are becoming exposed to us,” states Sachin. “We have dates set in Alpena, Hamtramck, and Flint, and are making more connections.  I love playing here in the Great Lakes Bay Region, but like to travel and find good places to eat.”

In terms of their repertoire , the group has close to 80 songs in their catalog, including close to 20 original compositions.  “I’m always actively writing new material, explains Sarah, and usually the guys will come to me with a riff or chord progression and we start there. When I take it home I’ll listen to it religiously and feel what the song tells me it wants to be, so we’ll find a riff, play it for 10 minutes to see where it goes, and then determine where the bridge is going to go.”

“Sarah will start writing lyrics on the couch at this juncture,” interjects Sachin. “Then we’ll figure where to go with it. Do we want a happy ending, or something different.”

“Usually, I’ll listen to a new original a thousand times before I finish writing it,” continues Sarah. “Once I get the idea jamming in the basement with the band, I’ll start humming along a melody or come up with words. I keep my notebook with me at all times.  Some songs come from a thought I had 7 months ago, and sometimes I’ll write with my friend Brian, who gives me different word suggestions to make the song flow better.”.

“A lot of people say they don’t want to hear bands sing cover songs reflecting other peopes’ emotions, but I love it because we ‘Salemfy’ the song and make it our own,” she concludes.  “We never play it exactly like the original. I try to figure what the crowd is going to be like, and we tend to tailor our set lists to the nature of the crowd.”

“We’re doing the Old Miami in August and in the contract is says, “no covers’, so that will be pretty cool - our first show down in Detroit where we have an opportunity to play nothing but originals.”

You can get Hiding Salem’s album on their website at hidingsalem.com, Spotify, and Apple Music, and the group is also working on a couple different new EP’s right now, so keep checking out their social media pages.