For those closet accordion players and the "purest" Art Van Damn types among us, I just learned from a friend that Tony Lovello, one of the Three Sons gigged at a restaurant, oddly enough called the Three Suns Bistro here in Lexington last week-end.


For years, Tony was the General Manager of the Campbell House, where I played B-3 with the house band. He would organize elaborate floor shows, with him in his traditional "puffy shirt" as the lead performer.

Tony was the one who got me into arrangers. He was a demonstrator for Petosa Music. Joe Petosa and his family ran a well-known accordian center in Seattle. Tony played midi accordion using an early Solton module. Joe came to Kentucky and demonstrated an MS-60. I bought it on the spot and, later, ordered a back-up. And the rest, as they say, is history!

The accordion is not my cup of tea, but a real piece of pop music history. Hurray for Tony, who's still "doing his thing" as he approaches 80 years old. His brother, Sam was the producer of Hee Haw. Tony appeared once on that show, which was STRANGE!

I'll have to check his hours next time he's doing this new job and see if I can catch a few minutes on one of my short nights, out of respect.

Look him up if you're not familiar with him.

The Three Sons played refreshing, somewhat complex, cool stuff for the time and market.

Sorry for the ramble...

Sentimental old Russ