Gordie Brown remembers friend, collaborator Steve Swinford: ‘It just clicked with us’

Gordie Brown is not easily upstaged, but every time he performed his impression of Jay Leno, he knew his best friend would top him, every time.

Steve Swinford happened to look a lot like Leno. Brown used this uncanny resemblance to great comic effect, performing a couple of lines – just passably — as Leno, then turning to Swinford.

The guitarist and bandleader gave a Leno-like face and familiar, addled tilting of the head. The crowd busted up, and so did Brown.

“Every night, Steve blew away any laugh I could get,” Brown says. “It stopped the show. It was one of our favorite bits for a long time.”

Brown and Swinford were friends and collaborators for 15 years, including the past nine at the Golden Nugget. Thus, Brown was shocked to learn of Swinford’s death early Monday morning at St. Rose Domincan Hospital, Siena Campus. He was 59.

A great guitarist, onstage folly and master studio engineer, Swinford had suffered a heart attack Dec. 21, followed closely by another, more serious heart attack and a stroke days later. He never recovered. He leaves behind his wife of 15 years, Stacy, and his sons Steven Jr. (age 15) and Jacob (13). Flowers can be snt to 2850 Dalsetter Drive, Henderson, NV 89044. Services are pending, but Brown says there will be a celebration of life honoring Swinford.

“We’ll have a toast among friends,” Brown said. “Steve was not a church guy, but he was a spiritual guy.”

On the day of Swinford’s passing, Brown let his feelings flow on a Facebook post, writing, “My heart is broken! You were a brother to me and more. Now you’re gone and I can hardly breathe right now … I will never get over you not being here. You were an amazing best friend for over 15 years. Such a super talented guitarist and an incredibly caring and loving soul … Saddest day of my life!”

Later that day, in a phone conversation, Brown said, “Steve was a really talented and versatile musician and had a great, great sense of humor. He also was incredibly spiritual. Always questioned the after-life, what was out there, always reading about it, almost every conversation would lead to, ‘What is this all about? Where are we going?’ I know now he is in a better place and that takes away some of the pain.”

A peerless impressionist, the Canadian-born Brown has been a favorite Las Vegas headliner since arriving in town in 2004, starring in his own production at Golden Nugget, then Venetian, then V Theater at Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood, and finally back to the Nugget.

Swinford has been at Brown’s side at every step. He was brought into Brown’s show 15 years ago when Brown was headlining the Sammy Davis Jr. Showroom at Harrah’s in Reno. Brown’s music director at the time, Jeff Neiman, told Brown of a friend of his in town who was a great player and producer, and the bond was forged.

“It was one of those things that just clicked,” Brown said. “It clicked with us from the minute he came into the show. Nobody got my show the way Steve did.”

Brown said Swinford, who was a vegetarian, had not shown any outward signs of ill health recently and was certainly in fine form at the close of Brown’s run at the Gordie Brown Showroom on Nov. 27. The two had been working on a new show for Brown, now in partnership with manager Chip Lightman and seeking a return to the Strip.

Swinford was vital to Brown’s show in his ability to anticipate the sudden, jarring changes in direction. One moment it’s Jack Nicholson, the next it’s Paul Simon singing about Viagra, the next it’s Johnny Mathis singing “Stairway to Heaven.” Swinford not only gauged the direction of the music, is face also lit up as he anticipated the next gag.

“Steve knew what I was trying to get at, even if I didn’t get there,” Brown said. “He would just start laughing because he knew where I was going. It was like having an Ed McMahon, but one who was also an incredible musician, behind me every night.”

Brown is now considering how to replace Swinford, and with whom, for his next production. He hopes to have an announcement and plan in place soon. Buut he is still rocked by the loss of his friend.

“I’m just remembering so many dinners, cigars and sharing our lives together,” Brown said, his voice wavering. “He was a heart-filled soul.”

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section, and Fridays in Neon. He also hosts “Kats! On The Radio” Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on KUNV 91.5-FM and appears Wednesdays at 11 a.m. with Dayna Roselli on KTNV Channel 13. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.