Central New York Musicians

He’s worked with Joey Dee and the Starliters, The Platters, The Coasters, The Boxtops, Danny and the Juniors, Gary Lewis And The Playboys, The Belmont’s, and Bill Haley’s Comets, to mention just a few names. And those are just the musical acts. He’s worked with comedians Angel Salazar, Marty Putz, Reed Rankin, Rene Hicks, Tracy Smith, and Bobcat Goldthwait to again, mention just a few names. He’s performed at The Turning Stone Casino in Verona, New York, Cazenovia College, Syracuse University, Paul Smith’s College, SUNY at Oswego, SUNY at Cortland,…...

He’s a local boy who made quite a name for himself in the music world. Vincent Falcone started out playing piano in various clubs in Syracuse, New York. He went on to become Frank Sinatra’s Musical Conductor and Musical Director for such artists as Tony Bennett, Andy Williams, The McGuire Sisters, Robert Goulet, Al Martino, Connie Francis, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme just to name a few. Mr. Falcone chronicles his life in music, in the book “Frankly Just Between Us, My Life Conducting Frank Sinatra’s Music” (Hal Leonard Publishers).…...

In the early 1960’s, Ed Wool and the Nomads were one of the most popular bands in all of Central New York. The highlight of their career occurred on October 30, 1965, when they opened for the Rolling Stones here in Syracuse at the Onondaga County War Memorial. Mike Christie was a member of Ed Wool and the Nomads. We spoke with Mike about that concert with the Stones and what it was like to be a rock ‘n’ roll group in the sixties. Q – Mike, what instrument did…...

He was one of the “Good Guys”—–the WNDR Radio “Good Guys”. In the 1960’s, in Syracuse, New York—–“Dandy” Dan Leonard was “the man”. As a “D.J” on WNDR Radio his influence was considerable. It would be on exaggeration to say he may have been one of the most powerful disc jockeys in the Northeast, and on the East Coast for that matter. “Dandy” Dan Leonard died on February 11th 2002. He was 75. In an interview conducted on May 17th 1999, “Dandy” Dan Leonard answered questions put to him about…...

Peter Cavanaugh was in the right place, at the right time, with the right stuff. He launched his career as a disc jockey or “DJ” just as rock “n” roll was breaking through in a Big Way. He started that career at WNDR Radio in Syracuse, New York, in the late 1950’s. Peter has written a book about his life in Rock “n” Roll Radio, titled, “Local DJ, A Rock “n” Roll History”. We talked to Peter about those early days of his in radio, with the emphasis on his…...

You don’t always hear about Syracuse musicians who go on to greater fame and fortune. This time you will. Former Eastwood resident John Dittrich now plays drums for R.C.A /B.M.G. recording artists “Restless Heart.” How did John Dittrich do it? That’s what we wanted to know. Q – John, where did you live in Syracuse? A – Teall Ave. Then my family moved to Batavia, N.Y. Then we moved back to Drumlins. Q – What did your parents do that caused you to move around a lot? A – My…...