JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN THEATRE ORGAN SOCIETY MARCH | APRIL 2012 I • • ~ l . ·. .• ,,,,,, .._. ·,,,;~1~-•· ····~ ~~-•···•,, ,. .. .... ~ • 1' , .&.i i Qililil, a.i , . · • .-~>~,".,. '!}.\ ... ..•,• ........e e ... •• .. .. •'1t. •:'.v' • ~ ~'I - ~JuL,c.J...J . .&.&.&.&.&J ··· ..i· .J...A , I.. La_ ._ -L .._ - - - __ .. ✓ • .. _.. ;,,,;; s,••• ! _ .. • .n·•••• . :ti t.'- .:... _ ·· =. ,L •·· U.!' ' l ' Cfl' ...... .-:-·· ~'( " '·' ,,' \~ ' ,· a --··--- -• --.:.wuw~·•---~ ___ _. ~ NOW COMPLETE!THE WALT STRONY BONUS DVD IS HERE! Do you sit at a theatre organ confused by the stoprail? Do you know it’s better to leave the 8" Tibia OUT of the left hand? Stumped by how to add more to your intros and endings? John Ferguson and Friends The Art of Playing Theatre Organ Learn about arranging, registration, intros and endings. From the simple basics all the way to the Circle of 5ths. Artist instructors—Allen Organ artists Jonas Nordwall, Lyn Larsen, The long-awaited Bonus Jelani Eddington and special guest Simon Gledhill. DVD is shipping NOW! Allen artist Walt Strony has produced a special DVD lesson based on YOUR questions and topics! Jonas Nordwall Lyn Larsen Jelani Eddington Simon Gledhill Recorded at Octave Hall at the Allen Organ headquarters in Macungie, Pennsylvania on the 4-manual STR-4 theatre organ and the 3-manual LL324Q theatre organ. More than 5-1/2 hours of valuable information—a value of over $300. These are lessons you can play over and over again to enhance your ability to play the theatre organ. It’s just like having these five great artists teaching right in your living room! Four-DVD package plus a bonus DVD from five of the world’s greatest players! Yours for just $149 plus $7 shipping. Order now using the insert or Marketplace order form in this issue. THEATRE ORGAN MARCH | APRIL 2012 Volume 54 | Number 2 FEATURES Kay McAbee 16 Remembered Surviving Your MIDI 20 Life Crisis Farny Wurlitzer Speaks 24 to ATOS Barnum Hall 29 Theatre ATOS Annual 36 Convention 2012 What’s in a 38 Name? DEPARTMENTS 3 Vox Humana 4 President’s Message 5 Letters 6 Directors’ Corner 8 News & Notes 12 Professional Perspectives 14 Vox Pops First United Methodist Church console, Portland, Oregon (Photo by Richard Horswell) 50 For the Records 54 Chapter News 64 Around the Circuit On the Cover: Barnum Hall Theatre console (Photo by Lance Luce) 68 Meeting Minutes THEATRE ORGAN (ISSN 0040-5531) is published bimonthly by the American Theatre Organ Society, Inc., 7800 Laguna Vega Drive, Elk Grove, California 95758. Periodicals Postage Paid at Elk Grove, California and at additional mailing offices. Annual subscription of $33.00 paid from members’ dues. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to THEATRE ORGAN, c/o ATOS Membership Office, P.O. Box 5327, Fullerton, California 92838, [email protected]. www.atos.org MARCH | APRIL 2012 1 Journal of the American Theatre Organ Society Library of Congress Catalog Number ML 1T 334 (ISSN 0040-5531) Printed in U.S.A. MARCH | APRIL 2012 Volume 54 | Number 2 THEATRE ORGAN JOURNAL YOUTH REPRESENTATIVE TO THE BOARD Nathan Avakian ([email protected]) PUBLISHER 503-347-0278 Donna Parker ([email protected]) THEATRE ORGAN (title registered U.S. Patent Office) PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER is the official publication of the American Theatre CO-EDITORS Ken Double ([email protected]) Organ Society, Inc. (ATOS), a non-profit organization. Mike Bryant ([email protected]) © 2010 American Theatre Organ Society, Inc. All rights 404-790-5400 206-619-6645 reserved. MEMBERSHIP/EXECUTIVE SECRETARY Don Feely ([email protected]) Annual membership in the American Theatre Organ 503-882-6155 Jim Merry ([email protected]) Society is $40.00 per year ($55.00 outside of the 714-773-4354 ASSOCIATE EDITORS U.S.A.), which includes six issues of THEATRE ORGAN. Make check or money order payable to ATOS and AROUND THE CIRCUIT: Micah Bisson ATOS MARKETPLACE mail to the ATOS Membership Office, P.O. Box 5327, Rob Vastine ([email protected]) Fullerton, California 92838, or join online at www. MUSIC: Steven Ball 23855 SW 195th Place atos.org/membership. MasterCard and VISA are PIPE PIPER: Jonathan Ortloff Sherwood, Oregon 97140 accepted. ([email protected]) 503-313-1024 [email protected] Single copies of current and back issues are PROFESSIONAL PERSPECTIVES: Edward M. Stout III available for $6.00 each (please add $3.00 per REVIEWS: Dennis Hedberg, Douglas Grant ATOS CORPORATE OFFICE issue sent outside of the U.S.A.). Make check or WURLITZER RARITIES: Ron Mitchell American Theatre Organ Society, Inc. money order payable to ATOS and mail with your order to ATOS Marketplace, Dennis Unks, 4002 JOURNAL ADVERTISING 7800 Laguna Vega Drive Westbury Ridge Drive, Erie, Pennsylvania 16506. Mike Bryant Elk Grove, California 95758 Don Feely [email protected] PROGRAMS THEATRE ORGAN EDITORIAL OFFICE CONVENTION PLANNING 3111 NE 165th Place Mike Kinerk ([email protected]) Vancouver, Washington 98682 305-532-9000 206-619-6645 [email protected] ETHICS COMMITTEE Jack Hardman lATOS DESIGN & TYPESETTING AMERICAN THEATRE ORGAN SOCIETY Ronald Carter Sleeping Giant Creative JoAnn Evans the, IAM,CI/ Indianapolis, Indiana Feel, lvt E-TONES NEWSLETTER PRINTING & MAILING Jack Moelmann Johnson Press of America ATOS MISSION STATEMENT—To preserve, protect, Pontiac, Illinois LEGAL ADVISOR TO THE BOARD promote, and present a truly American musical Dolton McAlpin invention, the theatre pipe organ and its musical art form, worldwide; NOMINATIONS—BOARD ELECTION AMERICAN THEATRE ORGAN SOCIETY To ensure that the few remaining instruments are John McCall, Jr. ([email protected]) played wherever possible to provide entertainment CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD SCHOLARSHIPS to the public as a solo instrument or part of an Col. Mike Hartley (Ret.) ([email protected]) ensemble, and to accompany silent films; 386-445-7562 Carlton Smith ([email protected]) 317-356-1240 To encourage industry-acceptance restoration, VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD maintenance methods and techniques to ensure Bob Dilworth ([email protected]) THEATRE ORGAN RADIO performance ability for future generations; Ken Double ([email protected]) 302-995-2603 And to assist local chapters and our members by 404-790-5400 providing coordinated support in education, concert SECRETARY promotion and marketing to further our mission. Bob Evans ([email protected]) 508-674-0276 THEATRE ORGAN WORKSHOPS Jonas Nordwall ([email protected]) TREASURER 503-246-7262 Michael Hutcherson ([email protected]) www.atos.org 770-460-6821 – Theatre Organ Online 678-586-3663 (fax) – Articles and Features added regularly DIRECTORS (CURRENT TERM) John Ledwon ([email protected]) (2014) – Calendar of events and submissions 702-767-8772 – Theatre Organ locator Allen Miller ([email protected]) (2013) 860-402-4686 Jack Moelmann ([email protected]) (2012) 618-632-8455 Tim Needler ([email protected]) (2013) 317-255-8056 Donna Parker ([email protected]) (2012) 503-642-7009 Don Phipps ([email protected]) (2014) ATOS Memberships Make Great Gifts! 508-758-3723 Bucky Reddish ([email protected]) (2014) 770-948-8424 Jim Merry, Executive Secretary Chairman, Endowment Fund Board of Trustees P.O. Box 5327, Fullerton, California 92838 [email protected], www.atos.org 2 THEATRE ORGAN D D In this column we usually give you a little overview of what’s in the issue, focusing on the feature content. This time, though, we’d like to direct your attention to a couple of the ads. You’ll see a full-page ad for the Summer Speaking of the Marketplace, we have world as well, I ponied up for two tickets. Youth Adventure. We (Don and Mike) have a new Marketplace Manager, Rob Vastine. You get the picture. perhaps a closer view of this program than Last summer Dennis Unks announced his It turned out to be one of the best some, given both our relationships with desire to step down at the beginning of shows I’ve ever seen, and I’ve been to a the staff, and that two of Don’s talented 2012. It was truly a pleasure to work with few. The man puts tremendous energy offspring have attended and reported back. Dennis. When we needed a back issue for into his performances and the show We’ve also had the opportunity to talk to some research, or a product to photograph ran nearly twice as long as the typical quite a few of the attendees over the years, for a story or ad, a quick e-mail or phone headline act. I had expected that we’d be and we can say we’ve seldom encountered call to Dennis resulted in it showing up in some of the youngest attendees, while the a program with such consistently high the mailbox a couple of days later. We’ll average age would skew toward blue hair feedback from participants. miss Dennis and wish him the best in his and walkers. I couldn’t have been more The ad notes that some scholarship continued retirement, and at the same wrong. The audience ran the gamut from funds are available. If your local chapter time we welcome Rob and feel confident the aforementioned all the way to spiked also has funds available, we can’t think of that he’ll carry on in the best ATOS/Unks chartreuse hair and nose rings. The a better way to use some than to subsidize tradition. common thread was that all ages seemed a student who otherwise wouldn’t be able Finally, I’m going to step out of the to respond enthusiastically. to attend. Contact Jelani Eddington or “Mikeanddon” editorial persona for just a If you’re at all on the fence about Donna Parker if you’d like to help out. minute and speak just as Mike.