Well, after 40 years away from it(we once skated pairs together) my wife and I went roller skating this morning. We accompanied my daughter and her triplets to a multiples function at the rink. It was a lot of fun - brought back tons of old memories.

Low and behold there was an old guy there playing a B3 organ. He was really good at it too. He said he has been playing skating music for over 70 years.

Once each week he transports that B3 to the Rink and plays for the skating sessions that day. I thought it was pretty neat.

Got me to wondering if anyone on the forum ever played such a gig.

Hammer

Not me, but it sounds like every Wersi owner out there has done this for a living!

Don’t confuse the Euro Sound with the Blackpool and/or Skating Rink Sound.

My first regular solo B gig was at a skating rink.

Thought they were all gone now, good to hear that someone is carrying on that tradition.

Was a sub at a walking horse show in Tennessee once. Man, what a hard job. Tempo was critical.


Russ

Had a friend who played organ for the Cincinnati Reds back in the days when they used live organ players. He said he rarely played anything over 12 seconds.
Eddie

Are you talking about Ronnie Dale or Jack Dole?

Dave

------------------
Wm. David McMahan
LearnMyKeyboard
JazzItUp Band
The Modulators

I used to play some Beauty Pageants. Pretty much the same as a horse show, except the fillies were not as nice.
DonM

Dave... His name was Ronnie...but I can't think of his last name...and Dale doesn't ring a bell. The Ronnie I know said he did not do it full time. He was a fill in for the regular guy.
Eddie

Don,
I don't think there is any kind of event you have not played. Dart Tournament?, Funeral??

Jay :-)

I used to go to the local skating rink every Friday night. Since, each time I hear "Walk Right In," I think of that rink. I think it was Rooftop Singers? Plus, some other songs. As a teenager, skating was wonderful. Have fun skating with your guy friends and making moves on your girl friends. I guess they had a jukebox but I don't remember. I was too busy skating.

I also remember going to the outside skating rink. Hound Dog and Don't Be Cruel was the big two-side hit at the time, and they wore it out. I must have been in the 7th or 8th grade.
DonM

I played for a Senior Fashion Show once. The old gals wanted upbeat, Disco music during the entire, two-hour show. By the time it ended, I never wanted to hear another disco song as long as I lived. The ladies wanted to hire me for the follow year, but I told them I was booked and managed to find someone that really liked to play disco for them.

Those were the days,

Gary

[This message has been edited by travlin'easy (edited 08-25-2009).]

Yep... Going to 'figure eights' with a mixed skill skater crowd is always a recipe for a little demolition derby...