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*** The SkateLog Forum Has Been Replaced by SkateDebate Dot Com ***
FROM SKATELOG FORUM HOST KATHIE FRY IN MARCH OF 2020:
NEW FORUM NAME: SkateDebate Forum
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Roller Dance and Session Skating Forum Discussions about roller dancing, jamskating, rexing, rink session skating, dance circle skating, and similar types of recreational indoor and outdoor skate dancing . |
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#1 |
Forum Host
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: San Clemente, Southern California USA
Posts: 1,632
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Let's talk about the great roller skating rink organ players of the past and present. Have you ever met any of the following organists, or skated to their music? Which of them still play and where? Have any of them recorded albums of skating music? Have any retired or passed away? Please share pictures and videos if you have any.
ROLLER SKATING RINK ORGANISTS - A - Al Deluca Al Michaels Andy Antonczyk Andy Divito - B - Bob Pine Bill Clark Bud Powell - C - Carl DeSanti Corey Fridinger - D - Dave Paden Dennis Harvey Dominic Cangelosi Don Born - F - Frank Pellico Fred Arnish - G - Gary Russell Glen Davis - H - Harry Garafola - J - Jerry Jorgenson Jimmy Arsenault John Wiesner - K - Keith Fortune Kenny Ross - L - Leon Berry Lionel LeMay Lonnie Brooks - M - Margie Patten Marty Dumic Mike Clemens - N - Nick Viscuso - P - Paul Gagnon Paul Grosnick - R - Ralph Brown Randy Steinbinder Ray Long Robbie Freeman Rich Broglio Roger Johnson Ron Baldwin - S - Sonny Manesco - T - Tom Zitkovic Tony Tahlman - W - Wayne Green (I believe he died in 1995) ______________________________________________ Can you tell us anything about these roller rink organ players or share memories of skating to their music? Who did I leave off the list? Maybe we can convince some of them to visit this forum and tell us what they are doing these days! - Kathie Last edited by Kathie Fry; April 24th, 2008 at 02:28 AM. |
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#2 |
Forum Host
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: San Clemente, Southern California USA
Posts: 1,632
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I have been able to track down information about where some of the above organists are playing today, or at least where they played fairly recently:
Bill Fellows - The Rink in Montvale, New Jersey - United Skates of America in Woodbridge New Jersey Carl DeSanti - Orbit Skate Center in Palatine, Illinois Corey Fridinger - RollerMotion in Macungie, Pennsylvania - Sportsman's Hall in Maryland Dan Padden - Scooter's Rink in Marlton, New Jersey (no Web site) Dominic Cangelosi - Moonlight Rollerway in Glendale California Frank Pellico - Aurora Skate Center in Aurora Illinois Jack Greer - Spinnations in Port Richey, Florida (no Web site) Keith Fortune - Oaks Park Roller Rink in Portland Oregon Lonnie Brooks - Fantasy Skating Center in Reading, Pennsylvania Marty Dumic - Olympic Skating Center in Enola, Pennsylvania - Sportsman's Hall in Maryland Ralph Brown - Sportsman's Hall in Maryland - K Last edited by Kathie Fry; April 24th, 2008 at 02:28 AM. |
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#3 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 589
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Hi Kathie... many fond memories of the Organist and the good times they created for all of us... and some still make the good time for us today!
Ralph Brown: also play at Holiday Skating Center in Delanco NJ. I believe it would be what you would call his "Home Rink"??? http://www.holidayskatingcenter.com/mainframe.htm When we lived in Philadelphia 30 some years ago we would go down and skate 2nd session on Saturday nights at Holiday and he played there then. It's such a pleasure to skate to his music again today at Sportsman's Hall. Marty Dumic: My husband and I first met Marty about 33 years ago when he moved to the Philadelphia area to play at Pike Rollerena in South Hampton. He moved to the Harrisburg area about the same time we did and we skated to his music at Fountain Blu in the 70's. And again, it's such a pleasure to still be skating to his music Tuesday evenings at Olympic Skating Center in Enola, Pa. Lonnie Brooks: is also a buddy of ours... Fun time for all of us at Fantasy! He also heads down to Florida in February each year to play for the Extravaganza. and Corey: So happy we get to skate to his music on a more regular basis now at Sportsman's Hall. Before Sportsman's started this special program we only go to skate to Corey's music when there was an Organ Jamboree. Wayne Green: Sadly, he has passed away. I don't remember what year but it's more than 10 years ago because I still had my old shop and the Viewing was right accross the street. Besides playing the Organ he was a realator and helped us get our first house! |
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#4 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 558
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You can add Kenny Ross to the list. He played for many years at Baltimore's Carlin's Park Rink, moving to North Point Rollarena around 1966. He played there until a change in ownership around 1974. Bill Clark was then played via tapes at least untill I stopped running the floor around 1981. We still pulled out the Kenny Ross tapes on Sunday Nights for the old timers though.
Here's some current pictures to go with some of the names on your list: Corey Fridinger ![]() and in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woqBMCb61OA Great thread Kathie!!! Bob Last edited by retread; November 17th, 2008 at 10:20 PM. Reason: much better picture of Corey! |
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#5 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 558
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And some more
Marty Dumic ![]() And Ralph Brown! ![]() Playing Sportsmans Hall! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn2z_XKoFCQ Last edited by retread; June 15th, 2009 at 11:02 PM. |
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#6 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 236
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I'm pretty sure that the name of the organist at Northland in Detroit back around 1970 was Bruce Versen. I moved away from the Detroit area a long time ago and don't have any idea what happened to him. I don't remember what he looked like or have any clue as to how old he was then or would be now if still alive. I do remember that one of our favorite songs was Malaguena - that was the one we skated fast (but not racing) to.
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#7 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Posts: 99
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Rich Broglio used to do organ at Brookpark Skateland in Cleveland, but I think he retired (I'll have to ask next time I'm in there.)
Currently Mike Clemens plays organ there. Gypsyjuggler |
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#8 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 558
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I just got the Organist line up for May at Sportsmans...
May 4th Ralph Brown May 11 Ralph Brown May 18 Marty Dumic May 25 Corey Fridinger I just got back from my dentist, told him about the organ sessions, and, he said he'd be there Sunday! Another return to the rink!!! Bob |
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#9 |
Music to Skate By
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Gilbert Arizona
Posts: 10
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Lest we forget John Corey from Arizona!
Music to Skate By Amazing how soon we forget! ![]() ![]() |
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#10 |
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 3
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I was a member of the Pasadena club (Moonlight Rollerway on Colorado near Rosemead) in the sixties. It was owned by Millie and Cliff Neschke, and Dick Madigan was the pro. His brother Bill Madigan won Sr. Men's Singles in the '61 nationals. Bill went on to teach at the Moonlight in Glendale/Burbank later on.
I think I have a picture of that club taken in '62 somewhere. Dominic was the organist there at the time. During evening sessions there was always a trios session, during which some of us would go up into the organ loft with Dominic and sing old standards - it was called Singing Trios. Does he still do that? |
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#11 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Southern California
Posts: 647
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I was a semi-regular at the Thursday night sessions at Pasadena in the late '70's and it wasn't going on then. I don't know about any other sessions.
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#12 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 558
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Here's the October organist schedule for Sportsmans in Maryland.....
Oct 5 - tapes Oct 12 - Ralph Oct 19 - Corey Oct 26 - Ralph Notice the tapes on the 5th....still the greats, Ralph Brown, Marty Dumic, Cory Fridinger and Bill Clark, but not quite like having live organists. People, if we don't start to support these sessions, I'm afraid we may lose them! Bob |
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#13 | |
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Estero Florida
Posts: 4
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#14 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Posts: 99
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Another person who regularly played organ at Brookpark Skateland in Cleveland Ohio (Along with a few other rinks in northeast Ohio) was Johnny Sharp.
If you do a search for "RollerRewind" on Myspace or youtube, you will find some videos of rinks he played at. Most of the videos are from the late '80s through 2000. Gives me good memories to watch them... I do recognize some of the people in the videos. Haven't been able to find me yet. Here is one link: http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fusea...deoid=40752658 Gypsyjuggler |
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#15 |
Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Mechanicsburg, PA.
Posts: 51
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Many skaters may remember the organ music of Jerry Baker. Jerry never played live in a rink, but he provided skating music to hundreds of rinks in the 1960s through his company Rink Reels. He was known for "double-tracking" his organ music - recording the song through once, then playing along and harmonizing with himself. He had a very unique style. I knew him very well up until his death in 1991 at the age of 91. Speaking of Jerry Baker, I have a box of about 50 different old reel-to-reel dance and session tapes of Jerry Baker from the 1960's that need a good home. All you have to do is pay for the shipping charges. I've collected organ music from various rink organists over the years and still sell CDs of my music along with Bill Clark's, Jerry Baker's and David Lowe's from England. But, I'm trying to downsize my collection and would like to see them go to somebody who is as passionate about organ skating music as I am. If anyone is interested, let me know.
Marty |
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#16 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 558
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![]() Quote:
You don't get much more passionate about organ skating music than me, just check out my posts! You aren't the Marty I'm thinking of, are you ![]() Bob Last edited by retread; October 24th, 2008 at 01:33 PM. |
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#17 |
Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Mechanicsburg, PA.
Posts: 51
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#18 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 558
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Cool! Welcome aboard. I need some Bill Clark to fill out my collection, I just can't remember which ones, after all, it's been what, 28 years since I ran a session? If I can talk the wife into making the trip to Harrisburg to skate to you and Ralph (I'm working on her), I can talk to you then maybe?
Bob |
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#19 |
Rollin' in AZ
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Glendale, AZ - previously Reading, PA
Posts: 125
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Welcome -
See you at the Turkey Skate @ olympic. I'm bringing my skater-daughter Taryn along again. ![]() Cindy (hagge) Landis
__________________
Skater, Proud Mom and Coach |
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#20 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 558
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Bumping for this:
"An Evening with Ralph & Marty" Wednesday - November 26th - 8:00 'till 11:00 $6.00 Olympic Skating Center, Enola, Pa This is gonna be a blast! And to announce a better picture has been posted of Corey Fridinger....Kathie, could you update his fan page? Bob |
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