Theatre organist performing at "Music at the Fountain" Thursday

Posted: August 15, 2009

By Peter Adelsen

GREENTOWN - The variety of music continues Thursday at "Music at the Fountain" with music from the theatre organ. The event is at 7 p.m. in front of the fountain at city hall on Meridian Street, north of the stoplight.

Bill Tandy, a WWKI morning personality, has been playing the theatre organ for approximately 31 years, said Jolene Rule, committee chairperson. He learned to play in his free time while in college. After graduating, she said, he returned to his home town of Chicago and took a job playing the instrument at Sally's Stage, a pipe organ equipped restaurant. After five years there, he later accepted a job playing the organ full time at Pipe Dream Restaurant in Kokomo.

While in Kokomo, he began playing concerts in the Midwest. He also performed at four American Theatre Organ National Conventions, she said.

He has played more than 4,000 songs pre-dating the World War I era to current hits, she said. He also plays his own blend of synthesizers and electronics that play Big Band era and dance favorites.

"We have a lot of excellent performers," she said. "The event gets more popular every year and it's a laid back atmosphere with a lot of variety."

She advises that everyone should bring a lawn chair each week.

Coming next week, Aug. 20, will be Sally Duke. Duke sings gospel and old standards and has performed all over the United States and abroad, she said.

In the occurrence of rain, "Music at the Fountain" would be held at the Lions Pavilion at the Howard County Fairgrounds. The series runs every Thursday until Sept. 17.

Link: http://kokomoperspective.com/news/article_ac116d41-42ac-5671-b691-6e570d65ff82.html