About us

Watermelon Wine has a unique sound that mixes country classics with 50’s rockabilly, line dance music, harmony-filled ballads, fiddle classics and a barrelhouse piano stomp. The whole idea is to engage the crowd — get them up and dancing. Our motto: Let’s Have a Party!

We cover tunes from Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson, Dwight Yoakum, Merle Haggard and mix in a few traditional songs and some rock and blues, Sweet three-part harmonies with both male and female lead vocalists provide a rich sound. The band consists of Ellie Cruze on drums and vocals, Kevin Hart on lead guitar and vocals, Michael Salsburg on fiddle and vocals, Corodon Fuller on keyboard and vocals and Paul Vaterlaus on bass,.

Watermelon Wine started playing a circuit of RV and trailer parks in 2013 and then began to appear in various service clubs. A decade later, we play at bars, restaurants, communities, and service and fraternal clubs from Sarasota to Port Charlotte. References from any type of venue are available on request. The band has developed a reliable following (the “Watermelon Winos”) who can bring life to any party.