I am one of the now forgotten volunteers who rebuilt and installed the 3/16 Wurlitzer at San Gabriel Civic Auditorium in hopes that George would play it. We got our wish!
I will never forget volunteering for the organ crew there. I was disqualified from the LATOS Stars of Tomorrow competition for not playing "What Kind of Fool am I" twice. I got to meet Disney legend Ward Kimball under the stage right before Gaylord Carter accompanied the railroad silent movie show. But, more than anything else, I remember being instructed never to be near the console when George Wright arrived. Then, there was that comment about Bill Shaw, the manager. LOL
I have know the music of George Wright since the late 50s, when my dad first bough one of his HiFi Records, "George Wright's Impression of My Fair Lady. I have always loved the pipe organ and certainly love this rendition. Thanks.
I hadn't followed George Wright very much since the '50s, so it was startling to see him with appearance so changed. But when he went to the console and began playing, it was the same George Wright. He has no peer.
Thank you, George has been my theatre organ hero since I was very young, now at the age of 40 I get to see the master play live. Amazing. I would love to see many more.
I listened on a Capehart monaural hifi to all of George's records as a kid. I was so impressed with the playing and the quality of the recordings. I wish I could have attended this concert, he was certainly the master of the theatre organ. RIP George, thanks for the great music.
Such sensitive playing. George was one of the greatest, and it was such a loss to lose him. So glad I found this. Fantastic organ as well. For analog, it is very impressive!
Owning several cds played long and loud into the night, this is the first time I’ve ever seen him play!! WOW!! Brought tears to my eyes and a huge lump in my throat!!! The greatest ever❤️❤️
Unique. I had no idea! I heard George Wright from a neighbor when I was young. He was an engineer at Draper labs in Boston, and he had a pipe organ in his basement which I played regularly and with great pleasure. He had one of the most in enormous vac tube driven stereo systems that I ever have seen, and he played George Wright's albums. It's miraculous, the idea that George Wright was a breathing human being. I thought he was some sort of super human superhuman
My Grandma taught George his style when he was a young boy and teenager in the late 30's in Stockton Ca. She developed her style playing organ for silent movies early in the century and passed it down to George. She was Inez Wright McNeil his auntie.
The Master himself, there will never be another -thanks for this post. I saw GW play live several times, people should continue to be able to see greatness. Hopefully there are more nuggets like this somewhere out there.
Great to see and hear George play again. I wouldn't be surprised if this is the only video in existance of George actually playing. George was not fond (to put it mildly) of any recording of his performances. There are many other fine theater organists out there today. However I still enjoy George's style of playing and showmanship more than any other. Even after all these years.
I have been a fan of Mr. Wright since 1959, and this is the first time I have seen him play. Truly awesome! I wish I had seen him perform when he was young, but this is a great opportunity to hear the master at work. He never lost his touch. Our loss is God's gain! RIP!
I am lucky to own some 8 LP´s by George on the Hifi and Doric label plus 1 CD with music from South Pacific. All the music is great and it is a pity that this kind of music and the instruments will vanish over the years. I wonder if this particular organ is still in place and played regarly. Luckely in the Netherlands we have several theaterorgans wich are in good condition thanks to a group of volunteers. There are organ concerts on regular basis by organist from Holland, the UK and occassionally from the US. Unfortunately, we, the listeners and enthousiast of this kind of music are getting older and only a few young ones are interested by this kind of music. The era that these instruments are played on will stop in the end. Luckely at the Organ Stop Pizza Mesa Arizona a large organ is still played daily by a staff of organists. And don´t forget the Wurlitzer organ at the Blackpool Tower in the UK. I grew up with this kind of music since before I was born! My father was a theatre organ music enthousiast and after the war he gave tours inside the organ chambers of the Wurlitzer-Strunk organ at the famous Tuschinski theatre Amsterdam which is still in good condition.
I believe this is the former Bob Power Rodgers Custom 260. Mr. Power sold it when he bought his GW-4. I think this organ was shipped overseas to Denmark or somewhere. This is 100% analog technology. There were some incredible recordings made on it.
In George’s hands this analog Rodgers sounds as good as any digital today. Truly an amazing instrument for the time, or for any time, actually! What an incredible performer live!
Great video of George playing! I got to meet him at one of his concerts and I learned how to play Theatre Organ from Gordon Kibbee who GW mentions was one of his close friends! My father loved GW and had many of his albums.
Thanks so much for this valuable piece of history. George Wright has been one of the true giants in the field and a great musical innovator as well. I doubt there's a theatre organist alive who hasn't been STRONGLY influenced by his style. This video is a rare gem.
This is wonderful! I saw many live George Wright concerts. All were great but my fondest memories are those at the Fox Theatre in San Francisco in the early 1960s. They were his "Farewell To The Fox" series over two or three years. It was finally torn down:-(. George Wright was my idol. I miss those times and his performances.
oh my yes...I grew up with George Wright LP's we 3 kids played on a magnficient HI-Hi speaker, custom-built which measured 4` across and 5' high...magnificent music to we 3 kids...George Wright is indelibly imprinted on our hearts and lives FOREVER!! George: the Maines kids, Margot, Mark & Paul salute you; we will never hear this music again in 2013 unless we can access recordings and CZcams posts that are graciously posted to George Wright's forever treasujre trove!!
What a rare and wonderful musical look at the genious at work...or should I say...at play. I literally wept through this. My undying thanks to you for your generosity in posting this.
I was totally impressed I just heard GEORGE WRIGHT. FAREWELL CONCERT 1963 AT THE FABULOUS. FOX THEATER. GEORGE, YOU WERE THE BEST I HAVE EVER HEARD YOU. GOD BLESS. YOU .GEORGE.
This is incredibly amazing! A treasure find! The only other George Wright footage I've found is on a couple of "Charles Magnante and Trio" videos on CZcams where a very young George plays Hammond.
It is while under the magical influence of the unique play of G.W. here, that I write of these memories from so long ago . . . I had the distinct privilege of meeting G.W. at Abbott & Sieker Organ Builders on Pontius Ave. at W.L.A. He would come somewhat regularly for dinner on Fridays with Larry Abbott, our No. 1 boss. (I was never to get the entire low-down on it but, I believe they were old chums from school days. Also, Richard Vaughn of "Hi Fi Records" was somehow integrated into the Big Picture through "POI" or rather "Pipe Organs Incorporated." I should have found out more but was too young to know why, such being ostensibly for future posterity's sake.) Larry Abbott -- being the best boss ever -- and I schemed for G.W.'s next visit a small plan! I'd then just recently finished restoration of my made-like-new vertical upright Welte-Mignon reproducing piano -- a real honey. The idea was just that, just before they were to leave for supper G.W. was to be afforded the 'opportunity' to audition Cyril Scott playing his own composition "Lotus Land" upon it. ("The Master's Fingers On Your Piano!") (You collectors familiar with his one-and-only Hamilton L.P. record release will know why this selection! Although on an inexpensive bargain label, on those two sides are found one awesomely impressive set of titles and sound!) Well, as luck and G.W.'s mood was to have it, this happy circumstance was to come-to-pass and, things occurred as we thought they just might. As owners of reproducing piano type instruments know well, the things can be fitful and reproduce near-masterful play like angels one day, but like devils set-loose the next! Well, as youthful luck and climate would have it, it proved a good one, and Cyril Scott and his compositional wonder came to life, rendering actually quite convincingly. George listened very carefully to the rendering as seemingly impressed! (James almost fainting in blessed relief!) He asked for it again (!) and I complied, with he requesting too that the tempo be lessened, which of course I saw-to. This occurred several of times incrementally until . . . it was JUST right! "Ah! Perfect!" -- so he exclaimed! And we heard the whole thing over again that way. Naturally he was correct. Scott's rendering I'd set as too up-tempo, and so it did require such adjusting down. (Tho then young I learned to be more aware of tempo and rate -- a very short but good lesson learned from A MASTER!) Well the two old friends proceed-on with their evening, with my own crest pointing up-high, post that heady experience ending as no disaster. G.W. I was to meet at A&S and hear expound at the Unit Orchestra console various of times futurely, and found him as not only a true great but, also a most kind and considerate gentleman. Twice-so he was to inquire as to the well-being of "Electric Ester" i.e. Larry Abbott (Seemingly, this being some form of organ builder's code or nick-name even, perhaps. G.W. had one which boss-man Larry revealed to myself, but which now I've long-since forgotten. I'd not been in the business long enough to have acquired or, been assigned one. This may have been Masonic-like -- a secret.) Although being no-longer ours, still he IS that "Living Legend" existing within hearts, memories, minds and . . . in utterly splendorous sound all set for The Ages.
Like he said, he would play for hrs. when you enjoy playing as much as he did It shows and he would play for hrs and not even realize how long he is playing.
I wonder who the person is in the white and blue patterned shirt at the back who looks as if he is filming this performance, too. You can see him around 3.20s. There could be multiple versions of this event on film.
Can`t believe this is 25 years ago.There are too few videos of our Hero. Did he say this was a Rodgers organ?I like the pan across to the pool area. So-have you any more video of George?
Some of those old analog electronic organs have a very pretty, warm sound and are worth saving and restoring even if not as sophisticated as the modern digital / sampling organs.
"I Love to Hear You Singing" . There is a video of Crawford playing this and also one of Jim Rasavere, and one of Jim Riggs. Rosavere and Riggs try to very carefully copy to Crawford recording.
George Wright plays a piece called "Roller Coaster" on one of his albums. I was never able to find the music for it. I don't know who composed it or where he got it from. Does anyone know anything about that piece?
It was from his first HiFi LP "George Wright Plays The Mighty Wurlitzer" '56 on the Richard Vaughn studio Wurlitzer. czcams.com/video/IKY2WCy3Rm4/video.html
I am one of the now forgotten volunteers who rebuilt and installed the 3/16 Wurlitzer at San Gabriel Civic Auditorium in hopes that George would play it. We got our wish!
I will never forget volunteering for the organ crew there. I was disqualified from the LATOS Stars of Tomorrow competition for not playing "What Kind of Fool am I" twice. I got to meet Disney legend Ward Kimball under the stage right before Gaylord Carter accompanied the railroad silent movie show. But, more than anything else, I remember being instructed never to be near the console when George Wright arrived. Then, there was that comment about Bill Shaw, the manager. LOL
I grew up on your organ music. I have been so inspired to play. My late father played your music often. We enjoyed listening to you often. ❤
You Know....when you hear greatness, there's nothing like it!!!!
I have know the music of George Wright since the late 50s, when my dad first bough one of his HiFi Records, "George Wright's Impression of My Fair Lady. I have always loved the pipe organ and certainly love this rendition. Thanks.
I hadn't followed George Wright very much since the '50s, so it was startling to see him with appearance so changed. But when he went to the console and began playing, it was the same George Wright. He has no peer.
Thank you, George has been my theatre organ hero since I was very young, now at the age of 40 I get to see the master play live. Amazing. I would love to see many more.
Amazing to hear what Rodgers could do at that time! Those Tibia's are just gorgeous.
I listened on a Capehart monaural hifi to all of George's records as a kid. I was so impressed with the playing and the quality of the recordings. I wish I could have attended this concert, he was certainly the master of the theatre organ. RIP George, thanks for the great music.
Such sensitive playing. George was one of the greatest, and it was such a loss to lose him. So glad I found this. Fantastic organ as well. For analog, it is very impressive!
Super excellent with very good interesting video
Owning several cds played long and loud into the night, this is the first time I’ve ever seen him play!! WOW!! Brought tears to my eyes and a huge lump in my throat!!! The greatest ever❤️❤️
Seeing George Wright alive and playing, what a pleasure! Thanks for posting this.
Thanks for posting, certainly makes my week,month...
Unique. I had no idea! I heard George Wright from a neighbor when I was young. He was an engineer at Draper labs in Boston, and he had a pipe organ in his basement which I played regularly and with great pleasure. He had one of the most in enormous vac tube driven stereo systems that I ever have seen, and he played George Wright's albums. It's miraculous, the idea that George Wright was a breathing human being. I thought he was some sort of super human superhuman
My Grandma taught George his style when he was a young boy and teenager in the late 30's in Stockton Ca. She developed her style playing organ for silent movies early in the century and passed it down to George. She was Inez Wright McNeil his auntie.
Amazing how spry he was at the time. Full of life, energy, and passion.
wow this my first to see Mr George Wright in Video
Great to see and hear this performance. Thanks.
This is great to see, so many thanks for posting! Best wishes, Michael
The Master himself, there will never be another -thanks for this post. I saw GW play live several times, people should continue to be able to see greatness. Hopefully there are more nuggets like this somewhere out there.
Absolutely spectacular! A true genius at work.
Great to see and hear George play again. I wouldn't be surprised if this is the only video in existance of George actually playing. George was not fond (to put it mildly) of any recording of his performances. There are many other fine theater organists out there today. However I still enjoy George's style of playing and showmanship more than any other. Even after all these years.
I have been a fan of Mr. Wright since 1959, and this is the first time I have seen him play. Truly awesome! I wish I had seen him perform when he was young, but this is a great opportunity to hear the master at work. He never lost his touch. Our loss is God's gain! RIP!
I am lucky to own some 8 LP´s by George on the Hifi and Doric label plus 1 CD with music from South Pacific. All the music is great and it is a pity that this kind of music and the instruments will vanish over the years. I wonder if this particular organ is still in place and played regarly. Luckely in the Netherlands we have several theaterorgans wich are in good condition thanks to a group of volunteers. There are organ concerts on regular basis by organist from Holland, the UK and occassionally from the US. Unfortunately, we, the listeners and enthousiast of this kind of music are getting older and only a few young ones are interested by this kind of music. The era that these instruments are played on will stop in the end. Luckely at the Organ Stop Pizza Mesa Arizona a large organ is still played daily by a staff of organists. And don´t forget the Wurlitzer organ at the Blackpool Tower in the UK. I grew up with this kind of music since before I was born! My father was a theatre organ music enthousiast and after the war he gave tours inside the organ chambers of the Wurlitzer-Strunk organ at the famous Tuschinski theatre Amsterdam which is still in good condition.
To paraphrase the title of the last song in this concert, I Love to Hear You Playing.! Thanks Mr. Wright for the memories!!!
Bravissimo! Great to see the master perform live, and much closer than in an auditorium!
I believe this is the former Bob Power Rodgers Custom 260. Mr. Power sold it when he bought his GW-4. I think this organ was shipped overseas to Denmark or somewhere. This is 100% analog technology. There were some incredible recordings made on it.
In George’s hands this analog Rodgers sounds as good as any digital today. Truly an amazing instrument for the time, or for any time, actually! What an incredible performer live!
Great to see this slice of theatre organ history!
Great video of George playing! I got to meet him at one of his concerts and I learned how to play Theatre Organ from Gordon Kibbee who GW mentions was one of his close friends! My father loved GW and had many of his albums.
Thanks so much for this valuable piece of history. George Wright has been one of the true giants in the field and a great musical innovator as well. I doubt there's a theatre organist alive who hasn't been STRONGLY influenced by his style.
This video is a rare gem.
This is wonderful! I saw many live George Wright concerts. All were great but my fondest memories are those at the Fox Theatre in San Francisco in the early 1960s. They were his "Farewell To The Fox" series over two or three years. It was finally torn down:-(. George Wright was my idol. I miss those times and his performances.
oh my yes...I grew up with George Wright LP's we 3 kids played on a magnficient HI-Hi speaker, custom-built which measured 4` across and 5' high...magnificent music to we 3 kids...George Wright is indelibly imprinted on our hearts and lives FOREVER!! George: the Maines kids, Margot, Mark & Paul salute you; we will never hear this music again in 2013 unless we can access recordings and CZcams posts that are graciously posted to George Wright's forever treasujre trove!!
Wow!! THanks for this!!
What a rare and wonderful musical look at the genious at work...or should I say...at play. I literally wept through this. My undying thanks to you for your generosity in posting this.
I was totally impressed I just heard GEORGE WRIGHT. FAREWELL CONCERT 1963 AT THE FABULOUS. FOX THEATER. GEORGE, YOU WERE THE BEST I HAVE EVER HEARD YOU. GOD BLESS. YOU .GEORGE.
Magic!
Never seen footage of him like this. It makes him a real person. A genius just the same. I WANT THAT ORGAN!
This is incredibly amazing! A treasure find! The only other George Wright footage I've found is on a couple of "Charles Magnante and Trio" videos on CZcams where a very young George plays Hammond.
The master at work...
I would never replace that Rodgers. WOW!
paulj0557 think it may have sounded better than the gw4!
@@steamrocks It sounds as good as any digital that I've heard to date, and better than many. Just 'get' those beautiful tibias!
It is while under the magical influence of the unique play of G.W. here, that I write of these memories from so long ago . . .
I had the distinct privilege of meeting G.W. at Abbott & Sieker Organ Builders on Pontius Ave. at W.L.A. He would come somewhat regularly for dinner on Fridays with Larry Abbott, our No. 1 boss.
(I was never to get the entire low-down on it but, I believe they were old chums from school days. Also, Richard Vaughn of "Hi Fi Records" was somehow integrated into the Big Picture through "POI" or rather "Pipe Organs Incorporated." I should have found out more but was too young to know why, such being ostensibly for future posterity's sake.)
Larry Abbott -- being the best boss ever -- and I schemed for G.W.'s next visit a small plan!
I'd then just recently finished restoration of my made-like-new vertical upright Welte-Mignon reproducing piano -- a real honey.
The idea was just that, just before they were to leave for supper G.W. was to be afforded the 'opportunity' to audition Cyril Scott playing his own composition "Lotus Land" upon it. ("The Master's Fingers On Your Piano!")
(You collectors familiar with his one-and-only Hamilton L.P. record release will know why this selection! Although on an inexpensive bargain label, on those two sides are found one awesomely impressive set of titles and sound!)
Well, as luck and G.W.'s mood was to have it, this happy circumstance was to come-to-pass and, things occurred as we thought they just might.
As owners of reproducing piano type instruments know well, the things can be fitful and reproduce near-masterful play like angels one day, but like devils set-loose the next! Well, as youthful luck and climate would have it, it proved a good one, and Cyril Scott and his compositional wonder came to life, rendering actually quite convincingly.
George listened very carefully to the rendering as seemingly impressed! (James almost fainting in blessed relief!)
He asked for it again (!) and I complied, with he requesting too that the tempo be lessened, which of course I saw-to. This occurred several of times incrementally until . . . it was JUST right!
"Ah! Perfect!" -- so he exclaimed! And we heard the whole thing over again that way.
Naturally he was correct. Scott's rendering I'd set as too up-tempo, and so it did require such adjusting down.
(Tho then young I learned to be more aware of tempo and rate -- a very short but good lesson learned from A MASTER!)
Well the two old friends proceed-on with their evening, with my own crest pointing up-high, post that heady experience ending as no disaster.
G.W. I was to meet at A&S and hear expound at the Unit Orchestra console various of times futurely, and found him as not only a true great but, also a most kind and considerate gentleman. Twice-so he was to inquire as to the well-being of "Electric Ester" i.e. Larry Abbott
(Seemingly, this being some form of organ builder's code or nick-name even, perhaps. G.W. had one which boss-man Larry revealed to myself, but which now I've long-since forgotten. I'd not been in the business long enough to have acquired or, been assigned one. This may have been Masonic-like -- a secret.)
Although being no-longer ours, still he IS that "Living Legend" existing within hearts, memories, minds and . . . in utterly splendorous sound all set for The Ages.
So glad the master was recorded and shared for posterity. He was equally great as an entertainer as a musician.
I kew George and helped him try to save the San Francisco Fox in 1963.
Like he said, he would play for hrs. when you enjoy playing as much as he did It shows and he would play for hrs and not even realize how long he is playing.
It's amazing that GW could still perform so well, given his limited eyesight by this time. Note the large Sharpie printing on his song note cards.
I guess he didn't need them, Bill :)
I wonder who the person is in the white and blue patterned shirt at the back who looks as if he is filming this performance, too. You can see him around 3.20s. There could be multiple versions of this event on film.
Can`t believe this is 25 years ago.There are too few videos of our Hero.
Did he say this was a Rodgers organ?I like the pan across to the pool area.
So-have you any more video of George?
Analogue organ...YES! A custom built Rodgers. Powers later replaced it with an Allen GW 4 then he died.
Analog, not digital and it sounded that good? I thought it was pipes before I read that!
Some of those old analog electronic organs have a very pretty, warm sound and are worth saving and restoring even if not as sophisticated as the modern digital / sampling organs.
1:42
10:17
13:29
18:06
What is the name of the last piece the "theater organists' national anthem"?
"I Love to Hear You Singing" . There is a video of Crawford playing this and also one of Jim Rasavere, and one of Jim Riggs. Rosavere and Riggs try to very carefully copy to Crawford recording.
George Wright plays a piece called "Roller Coaster" on one of his albums. I was never able to find the music for it. I don't know who composed it or where he got it from. Does anyone know anything about that piece?
Roller Coaster was written by Milton Delugg.
It was from his first HiFi LP "George Wright Plays The Mighty Wurlitzer" '56 on the Richard Vaughn studio Wurlitzer. czcams.com/video/IKY2WCy3Rm4/video.html
WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE LAST SONG IN THIS PROGRAMME
"I'd Love to hear you Singing." Jesse Crawford's "Theme Song."