he notes in his autobiography that his first two pianists in 1935 were gerry moore for the melody and felix king for the "lemonade". later pianists included, at different times, monia liter, charlie pude, jack phillips, billy munn, victor parker (also accordion), ernest "slim" wilson (who was also silvester's main arranger, and with whom he co-wrote several pieces), eddie macauley and ronnie taylor. silvester's drummer for over four decades was ben edwards, crucial for supplying the strict tempo. sometimes there might be four saxophones altogether, two alto and two tenor, including in latter years tony mozr, percy waterhouse and phil kirby in addition to pogson, all doubling on clarinet as required. on some recordings, the ballroom orchestra was augmented with 15 strings and woodwind, when it became "the silver strings". during the war, when oscar grasso was in the forces, the classical violinist alfredo campoli took his place, using the name "alfred campbell" for contractual reasons.