‘With a little help from my friends:’ band celebrates 47th annual concert
(Bill Ingalls|Ingalls Images)
The late James 鈥淔uzzy鈥� Randolph, Waynesburg University class of 鈥�56, performs during the Gross National Product鈥檚 (GNP) 45th Anniversary Concert Saturday, April 25, 2015, at the Goodwin Performing Arts Center, Waynesburg University, Waynesburg, PA. This year Randolph, who has been a fan of the band for many years, will be honored.
The 47th annual GNP concert will take place April 22 at the Goodwin Performing Arts Center on the Waynesburg University Campus. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the concert starts at 7:30 p.m. (Photo credit: Bill Ingalls/Ingalls Images)
鈥淢ost high school and college reunions you will get together and do 鈥榬emember whens.鈥� In addition to swapping stories and doing 鈥榬emember whens鈥� we get to put on a show,鈥� is how Bill Molzon described the sentiment behind the 47th annual Gross National Product (GNP) concert that is held on the Waynesburg University campus each year.
Once again the band that started out as just a bunch of kids in New Jersey will return to the campus, where Molzon, the show鈥檚 producer, is the assistant professor of communication 鈥� director, TV operations, to put on a show with around 20 of their closest, musical friends on April 22.
鈥淔or me, I can鈥檛 speak for the other performers, there is an enjoyment factor of performing in front of an audience. We are fortunate enough there are a number of factors that make this show last as long as it has on campus. One of the factors is the audience. It is a loyal audience and many of them come year after year. Any entertainment act, if we had a lot of empty seats it would bring the end of the show,鈥� he said.
鈥淎nother aspect of the audience is that it is now not unusual for me to hear stories that someone will come and say, 鈥楬ey, this is the first show I have attended and I am coming back and bringing friends.鈥� Part of that audience factor is that it has grown and developed because of word of mouth.鈥�
For anyone who has attended a GNP concert in the past, they will quickly learn that it is unlike other concerts.
Molzon, who in the past has said the concert 鈥済oes up and down the radio dial,鈥� features music from several different genera such as rock, folk music, bluegrass, some country, jazz and even a showtune or two.
For many years, James 鈥淔uzzy鈥� Randolph would delight the audience with either a tune on his bagpipes, complete with the traditional uniform, kilt and all, or with a harmonica or in a showtune duet.
鈥淔uzzy Randolph early on, probably during the early to mid 70s, he became a great supporter of the annual concert,鈥� said Molzon. 鈥淏ecause of Fuzzy and his association of the show and providing us with nice rehearsal space and knowing when we would do the show in the dining hall, he would join us and do the show.鈥�
Unfortunately, the 88-year-old bandmate and mainstay of the university鈥檚 music department and museum, passed away last November.
However, his spirit will live on as he is remembered during this year鈥檚 concert.
鈥淭wo years ago the school formed the James D. Randolph Kiltie Band,鈥� said Molzon. 鈥淲hen we are dedicating the show to Fuzzy we think of him as a bandmate and a supporter of the show. The kiltie band will (also) perform.鈥�
Many changes have occurred to the band over the years.
This year original band members Jeannie Clark Fisher (vocalist), Scott Butterfield (base player and music director), Tom Minson (percussionist), Charlie Behrend (singer) and Molzon will return for another year joined by university alum, friends of the band and even current university students.
鈥淭hat is a mix of original members and then I had mentioned the one drummer who got involved when he was a student here. He comes back as an alumnus and there are a couple of other members and they came out because of a relationship with another drummer and they took a liking to it to where I鈥檝e got students (in the band),鈥� said Molzon. 鈥淚 have five Waynesburg student musicians. I still work at getting current Waynesburg students and hopefully they are going to join the show and maybe they might help keep it going when the boomers can鈥檛.鈥�
Admission to GNP is free and the doors of the Goodwin Performing Arts Center will open at 7 p.m. with the show starting at 7:30 p.m.
鈥淚 do see it (the concert) as a wonderful town-gown event. It is the (wide) age range. People will bring their little kids. They will hop around. They might not understand the music but it gets a beat going. To college students to those in their 20s, 30s, 40s and even 70s. It is where members of the community come to hear live music,鈥� said Molzon.
And for him, he couldn鈥檛 ask for more.
鈥淚 know I am stealing a line from Willie Nelson, but it is making music with my friends,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t is a musical way of celebrating friendships.鈥�