That’s Entertainment From Hollywood

CD Duration: 62.01 / Year: 2013

2013 release featuring the Sargent-Stark Wurlitzer in Hollywood, California.
Played by Ashley Miller, Gaylord Carter and Rod Skelding.

Code: OK32.

ASHLEY MILLER:
That’s Entertainment
Someone to Watch Over Me
Greensleeves
Caribbean Holiday

ROD SKELDING:
This Could Be the Start of Something Big / I Feel a Song Coming On
A Tisket, A Tasket / I Double Dare You / Chinatown My Chinatown
Happy Days and Lonely Nights
The World is Waiting for the Sunrise
Faithful Forever
Dream / I’ll See You in My Dreams / Bye Bye Blues

GAYLORD CARTER:
The Perfect Song
Hurry No.2
The Student Prince / The Drinking Song / Serenade / Deep in My Heart Dear
Crusaders March
Just An Old Love Song
The Perfect Song (reprise)

SLEEVE NOTES

In 1976 the American Theatre Organ Society organised their first ever trip to England. Along with organist friend Rod Skelding, I was one of the Bus Captains charged with looking after our group in the form of tour guides. Our job was to ensure their safety and look after their every needs. It would be fair to say that one attractive unmarried lady discovered she had certain needs that she felt only Rod could supply!

In the fullness of time he went to live in the USA and they were married. Rod gained employment at a large music shop as a salesman and demonstrator, and kept in touch with me. In 1981 he then began to send me a series of tapes for my weekly BBC Radio Manchester programme of PEDAL, PERCUSSION & PIPES all recorded on the 3 manual, 18 rank (plus grand piano) Wurlitzer situated in the recording studio of Alan Stark & Ralph Sargent in Hollywood, California.

In total I received four programmes, basically as a trial to gauge their popularity, and this compilation CD features edited highlights from three of them, each being introduced and linked together by Rod himself.

Tracks 1-4 & 11-16 feature two of the biggest names in the American organ world, namely the legendary former Radio City Music Hall organist Ashley Miller* & Gaylord ‘flicker fingers’ Carter. Tracks 5-10 demonstrate that Rod too, apart from being a fine presenter, had a good command of the instrument.

What is perhaps less well known is that despite Rod’s aspirations in his choice of a new signature tune, his life was tragically cut short one evening when, after closing the Music Shop and walking to his car, he was mugged and died from his injuries. This compilation is dedicated to his memory as an organist and friend.

…Alan Ashton (ORGAN1st Radio / OrganRadio.com).
(* See also YouTube Organ Celebrities Vol. 29)