My dad and gramma bought me my first turn table when I was about 6 or 7. We had a ton of his old records that we played and we had these albums and NEVER knew it was him!!! It wasn't until I was pregnant with my first child in 1995. My mom and I were in a second hand store laughing and looking through a box of old records. She pulled out Pipe Organ Favorites and said, "This is Robert." I laughed and could not believe it! 6 years later Toby Dammitt did the detective work!
This is my dad. And you are correct, 56 packman, that pic at 1:30 is not him. I love the one at the end of his as a young boy while he attended Black Fox Military Academy.
Thank you pandsboy for sending this to me!! I will send to my sisters! This is cool.
@cjand2manygals I just wish it had of been possible to know of your existence when I compiled the video because that way it might have been possible for you to contribute with some more photos of your dad. Not only that it would have prevented me including a shot of him, done in all good faith, when in fact a person as much admired as Ben Hall, thought it OK to have a joke at someones expense which has resulted in the perpetuating of a myth..
@gramrfone It is crazy that he is getting any attention at this time...9 years after his death. His life was filled with great accomplishments and very dark valleys. He was a prodigy and an only child. His father died when he was 12 and his mom (my gramma) never remarried. He had his daughters later in life and never remarried after my parents divorced in 1970. What a career! Have you read the liner notes from the Hit Thing re-release? The story of his life is amazing.
@cjand2manygals This is turning into an amazing story, and it is quite an emotional journey for me...so I know how all your family must feel. I had the original LP recordings..nearly wore them out because they were SO different. Bought the Toby Dammit 'Hit Thing' CD the minute I saw it. Wish the others could be re-issued too.
Bob was an extremely gifted composer and arranger and specialized mostly at the piano. He also performed as accompanist for George Burns and Carol Channing and played piano in the Freddie Martin Orchestra after leaving the military. I studied orchestration with him and performed with him several times as an instrumentalist and a singer. Continued below.....
He was for most of the last 20 years of his life, the accompanist for both the Loyola Marymount University Choruses and the Los Angeles Master Chorale under the direction of my father, Paul Salamunovich. He was with out a doubt, the most musically gifted individual I have ever met in my life. Those of us privileged enough to have worked with him have many stories of his amazing facility and memorable performances.
The picture that appears at 1:30 was taken from Ben Hall's "the best remaining seats" and it IS NOT BOB HUNTER. At the time ben wrote that book (1961) the identity of "Georges Montalba" was unknown. Ben found that photo, which dates to the 1920s, the identity of the organist in the photo was lost to time and Ben, being somewhat of a jokester captioned it with the Montalba name as a joke.
I sure like his ability to play around a beat with total precision.
paulj0557 10 months ago
My dad and gramma bought me my first turn table when I was about 6 or 7. We had a ton of his old records that we played and we had these albums and NEVER knew it was him!!! It wasn't until I was pregnant with my first child in 1995. My mom and I were in a second hand store laughing and looking through a box of old records. She pulled out Pipe Organ Favorites and said, "This is Robert." I laughed and could not believe it! 6 years later Toby Dammitt did the detective work!
cjand2manygals 1 year ago
This is my dad. And you are correct, 56 packman, that pic at 1:30 is not him. I love the one at the end of his as a young boy while he attended Black Fox Military Academy.
Thank you pandsboy for sending this to me!! I will send to my sisters! This is cool.
cjand2manygals 1 year ago
@cjand2manygals I just wish it had of been possible to know of your existence when I compiled the video because that way it might have been possible for you to contribute with some more photos of your dad. Not only that it would have prevented me including a shot of him, done in all good faith, when in fact a person as much admired as Ben Hall, thought it OK to have a joke at someones expense which has resulted in the perpetuating of a myth..
gramrfone 1 year ago
@gramrfone It is crazy that he is getting any attention at this time...9 years after his death. His life was filled with great accomplishments and very dark valleys. He was a prodigy and an only child. His father died when he was 12 and his mom (my gramma) never remarried. He had his daughters later in life and never remarried after my parents divorced in 1970. What a career! Have you read the liner notes from the Hit Thing re-release? The story of his life is amazing.
cjand2manygals 1 year ago
@cjand2manygals This is turning into an amazing story, and it is quite an emotional journey for me...so I know how all your family must feel. I had the original LP recordings..nearly wore them out because they were SO different. Bought the Toby Dammit 'Hit Thing' CD the minute I saw it. Wish the others could be re-issued too.
gramrfone 1 year ago
Bob was an extremely gifted composer and arranger and specialized mostly at the piano. He also performed as accompanist for George Burns and Carol Channing and played piano in the Freddie Martin Orchestra after leaving the military. I studied orchestration with him and performed with him several times as an instrumentalist and a singer. Continued below.....
panddsboy 1 year ago
He was for most of the last 20 years of his life, the accompanist for both the Loyola Marymount University Choruses and the Los Angeles Master Chorale under the direction of my father, Paul Salamunovich. He was with out a doubt, the most musically gifted individual I have ever met in my life. Those of us privileged enough to have worked with him have many stories of his amazing facility and memorable performances.
panddsboy 1 year ago
Comment removed
panddsboy 1 year ago
The picture that appears at 1:30 was taken from Ben Hall's "the best remaining seats" and it IS NOT BOB HUNTER. At the time ben wrote that book (1961) the identity of "Georges Montalba" was unknown. Ben found that photo, which dates to the 1920s, the identity of the organist in the photo was lost to time and Ben, being somewhat of a jokester captioned it with the Montalba name as a joke.
56Packman 1 year ago
@56Packman Thank you for that information. I am sure it is one of the many myths in the organ world and I appreciate you informing me of such.
gramrfone 1 year ago