12/28/2016
A graceful exit for memories in Melody
Story By: LINDA LEUZZ 12/22/2016A graceful exit for memories in Melody
At 5 p.m. on Christmas Day, as the holiday winds down another tradition will take its cue. Memories in Melody, the longstanding radio show of American popular standards that bolstered the country through a World War and celebrated romance with its tender, quirky aspects that were sung by masters like Frank Sinatra and new voices like Michael Bublé and Lady Gaga, will broadcast for the last time on 1370 WALK. The three-hour show will also be streamed on WHLI.com.
“The parent company made a business decision,” explained Susan Shiebler, marketing director and producer of Memories in Melody Enterprises Inc., whose father, Jack Ellsworth, was the show’s originator.
Connoisseur Media is the parent company.
“WALK [the subsidiary station] has been very supportive and the reverence they had for my mother and father has been wonderful,” she said.
Ellsworth, with his wife Dot, had the longest continuously running radio program on Long Island and his sincere admiration of the artists he played drew tangible acknowledgements from Sinatra and got him jazz and swing greats like Count Basie and Benny Goodman to perform for local fundraisers.
But his humanity, along with Dot’s unfailing support, also won him legions of fans; notifications on air about lost dogs in between music tracks was just one example that lassoed community affection and there was a personal touch sorely missing in today’s world. Also, their business savvy was hard to beat.
The family house in East Patchogue — with letters, photos and tape compilations of shows and celebrities in the basement’s music library — is a small museum, and Ellsworth wrote a book chronicling his amazing experiences with the galaxy of music greats he met that’s a keeper, particularly to those interested in broadcast history.
Matt Taylor, grandson of Ellsworth, who’s been hosting the iconic broadcast since Ellsworth’s passing in 2013, will concentrate on his performing career. (Taylor, 21, who’s been singing locally, has over 1 million hits on YouTube. Catch him at La Tavola Trattoria in Sayville on Dec. 30.)
“We’re at a fork in the road,” admitted Shiebler, mother of Matt, Michael Ellsworth Mingino, Christa Mingino and Elissa Mingino. The whole family is involved with the Ellsworth legacy, although Michael is passing the president title over to Matt. “He’s always been a performer first,” she said of Matt.
The holiday songs scheduled this Sunday include an artistic landscape, from the nostalgic “The Christmas Song,” and “Mistletoe and Holly,” to Johnny Cash’s “Here Was a Man,” as well as songs by Natalie Cole and Celine Dion.
“It’s a 70-year legacy from the show’s conception to the last show,” said Taylor, who sat on his granddad’s lap in the studio at age 4. He became a broadcast regular at age 14.
While the show continued its loyalty to the oldies, it included a younger generation of singers, like Linda Ronstadt, Rod Stewart, Lady Gaga and even Bryan Adams. “On one show, we played The Beatles singing, ‘Something,’ Shiebler explained. “Sinatra sang it and said it was the greatest love song ever composed. Matt played both renditions.”
Think younger generations reject American popular standards? Try attending a Lady Gaga-Tony Bennett concert. Also, Taylor has performed a couple of tributes at Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts. One was with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra in 2014; “The Glenn Miller Orchestra – In the Holiday Mood” last month was just about sold out. Afterwards, 300 admirers of all ages swarmed Taylor.
The long-running broadcast could continue in another form; Shiebler said there have been discussions with a few stations and it might be syndicated; 40 segments are taped and ready to go.
In the meantime, Elissa Mingino will be taking Memories in Melody into nursing homes to work with Alzheimer’s patients.
Established advertisers like restaurateur Jim Avino were sad the show was ending on WALK.
“They were influential in helping me in getting a footing with the Bellport community and they were creative with their advertising,” said Avino, a client since 1985. “If Jack said, ‘shop here or eat here,’ people listened.”
Shiebler brought out a 1986 letter from Frank Zanazzi of Swezey Fuel Co., Inc. lauding Ellsworth as an important contact that brought the company into prominence as the leading heating oil distributor in the area.
“We’ve been advertising with them as early as the mid-1950s,” confirmed Gary Zanazzi, Frank’s son. “The whole family did a really good job of promoting our company. Their campaign was effective and they’re good people. I hope they can find another home.”
Christa Mingino said the family’s biggest concern was their listeners and getting the word out to them. “We want them to stay in touch with us,” she said.
