Dick Wooley
Music Director

Jim Wonnacott
Assistant Music Director

Joe Trzcinski
Personnel Director

Buddy Sullivan
Business Manager

George Ellis
Music Librarian

Ron Davis
Marketing Director

Don Day
Music Business Advisor

Doug Day
Education Advisor

To make a TAX-DEDUCTIBLE donation, please
make your check
payable to:

CLEVELAND TOPS
SWINGBAND FOUNDATION

mail to:

PO Box 721
Aurora, OH 44202

Our first studio CD
"Feelin' Young Again"
is still available.

Listen to some samples.
Click here.

Above: TOPS at Ohio Veterans Home, Sandusky

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MUSICIAN PROFILES

Anastasi, Jim - Trumpet. Active in music working as a technician/quality inspector in the King Band Instruments factory and as a professional musician with various area dance bands and other music activities for 65 years. Age-82, married to Kathryn, 2 kids, 3 grandkids - Hobbies: music, golf, flag football.

Couch, Charles (Al) - Trumpet. Retired symphony musician, the Cleveland Orchestra, playing trumpet for 54 years, recently with the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra. Age-65, married to Joanne, 3 kids, 1 grandkid. Hobbies are teaching and playing - a lot!

Day, Don - Electric Bass. Is strictly a professional musician and active as a booking agent. Don purchased ownership of the Hal Lynn Agency in 1982. He has played music for 55 years, including shows at the Cleveland Arena, Musicarnival, and the Coliseum. Age - 61, married to Marcia, 2 kids. Hobby is camping.

Day, Doug - Piano.  Retired Band and Orchestra Director, Bay Village High School.  Age - 58, married to Jackie, two kids.  Has played piano, trombone and bass professionally for 40 years, including eight years as the bassist for the Harry Hershey Orchestra.  Presently the pianist and music director of the Don Disantis Orchestra and is the accompanist for "Rejoice", a vocal octet from Bay Methodist Church.  Hobbies - The Cleveland Indians and playing free golf at Sweetbriar in Avon Lake, where he daily mows their greens and fairways.

Ellis, George - Trombone. Retired from a career as a civil engineer with the City of Cleveland, has had a life-long love of music, started playing the trumpet but switched to trombone about ten years ago. He caused a minor blow-up about his practicing in the attic in Cleveland City Hall which was resolved when it was determined that it was his lunch time...not work time! Age - 70. Married to Cass, 1 kid. Hobbies are music and reading.

Herforth, Harry - Trumpet . Retired music teacher, Kent State University; former member Boston Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra. Age - 91, enjoys arranging music for brass ensembles. Married to Lydia.

Joseph, Ralph - Trombone. Retired music teacher, involved with music for 66 years. Juilliard, Kent State, MA in Arts, many years at Front Row Theater, various area big bands. Age - 80, married to Norma with 4 kids and 6 grandkids. Hobbies are travel, boating, a 2nd home in Florida.

Kofsky, Allen - Trombone. Retired symphony musician, the Kansas City Symphony and the Cleveland Orchestra for 39 years, served in the Navy in WWII. Age - 81, married to Elaine, 3 kids, 6 grandkids. Hobby is teaching trombone at Baldwin-Wallace College.

Lehtinen, Bruce - Trombone. Retired mechanical engineer at NASA Glenn, 57 years as a performing musician, community bands & orchestras and small groups, mostly Dixieland. Age - 69, married to Arlene, 2 kids, 6 grandkids. Hobbies are home repair & remodeling, birdwatching and grandkids.

McKee, Bob - Drummer. A very active professional musician and drum teacher, was featured with the Buddy Morrow Orchestra, with Ellie Frankel's band on the Mike Douglas TV show, band leader at the Theatrical Grill, various area bands and as a leader, over 50 years in all. Age - 80. Married to Helene, 4 kids, 9 grandkids. Hobby remains teaching and playing drums.

Mehalko, Ken - Alto/Tenor Sax. Retired band director, Strongsville City Schools, active as a player and director of the Strongsville Community Band and co-director of the Strongsville City Jazz Band with Jim Wonnacott. In 2003 & 2004 was a teacher-in-residence at a school for music as a guest of the Chilean Ministry of Culture and the Ohio Arts Council. A total of 62 years in music. Age - 68. Married to Beverly, 2 kids, 4 grandkids. Hobbies centered around music.

Patch, Larry - Tenor Sax & Vocalist. A professional saxophonist, flutist and vocalist with a variety of groups locally and nationally, and a music businessman for over 50 years. Music director for many Cleveland fashion shows and manager of the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra for ten years.

Pattie, Robert - Alto Sax. Retired school band director, Holy Name High School; free-lance musician and private music teacher involved with music for over 65 years. Age - 82. Single, 6 kids and 21 grandkids, 9 great grandkids. Hobbies are playing music and teaching.

Patrick, Lawrence (Larry) - Baritone Sax. Retired from banking but continues with his active avocation, playing with various bands, including Dan Zola's big band. Involved with music for over 50 years. Age - 78. Married to Billie, 1 kid, 4 grandkids.

Rinaldi, Ray - Trumpet. Retired school band director, Willoughby Schools, free-lance musician, 75 years playing trumpet, Musicarnival and Front Row theaters, circuses, ice shows, Disney shows. Age - 84, married to Donna, 2 kids, 2 grandkids. Hobbies are private teaching, consulting for school music directors.

Scaffidi, Wallace - Alto Sax . One of Cleveland's best lead alto players. Age - 80, married to Dorothy with 2 kids and 3 grandkids, 2 great grandkids.

Sullivan, Lawrence "Buddy" - Alto/Tenor Sax. Semi-retired CPA, still active as a featured jazz tenor saxophonist with various area bands, began with Midwest "territory bands," served as a musician in WWII, was a founding player with the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, Front Row and other theaters, for over 65 years. Age - 84. Married to Ann, 8 kids and 17 grandkids. Hobbie include golf, woodwork and internet surfing.

Trzcinski, Joe - Trumpet and Personnel Director. Semi-retired musician with 50+ years experience. Age - 78, married to Pauline, many kids, many grandkids - Hobbies are walking, practicing piano, private teaching.

Twining, Gary - Bass Trombone. Gary interrupted a Masters Degree in Bass Trombone Performance at Indiana University to tour with the New Tommy Dorsey Orchestra for a year, has performed as a trombonist/bass trombonist/tubist in the Cleveland area with many of the shows and stars featured at the Palace, Hanna and Front Row Theatres. He spent seven years as a staff musician in the Las Vegas main showrooms, performing with both star policy acts and production shows. One of Ohio's few Certified Wine Educators, Gary is also a Wine Writer and Wholesale Wine Industry member.

Wonnacott, Jim - Trumpet and Assistant Music Director. Retired school music director, Strongsville Schools, 55 years playing trumpet, various bands area bands including his own as leader. Age - 65, married to Marcia, one kid. Co-directs the Strongsville City Jazz Band with Ken Mehalko. Owner of Parkwood Studios, a multi-media production facility producing and directing documentary films.

Wooley, Dick - Trombone, Arranger and Music Director. 64 years in music. Age - 77. Married to Nora, 5 kids and 8 grandkids. Loves his involvement with Alcoholics Anonymous, doing music scoring and performance on his Macintosh computers and digital photography...and writing arrangements for and the great privilege of leading the TOPS SWINGBAND!

Zahtilla, Karl - Alto/Tenor Sax. Still very active as a professional musician, he's been "doing" music for over 60 years with various bands, jazz combos, concerts and theaters, including performer for and getting to know many star celebrities at Front Row Theater. Age - 75. Married to Betsy Guy, he has 3 kids and 4 grandkids from his former marriage. When relaxing, he's a self-described beach bum, enjoys poker and swimming.

Guy, Betsy - Vocalist. Has spent 60 years as a singer at concerts, musicals, theater, at the Cleveland Hermit Club and with various bands, including that of the popular Trevor Guy. She's retired from Director of Entertainment for Boykin Management. Age- 70+. Married to Karl Zahtilla, she has 3 kids, 7 grandkids from a former marriage. Still singin' and swingin' here in Cleveland and in Naples, Florida during the winter. She also enjoys tennis, bridge and fitness center activities.

Griebel, Ruth - Vocalist . Married to Buddy Griebel, a legendary Cleveland pianist, since 1950.  Age - 81. Music has been my hobby and profession.  I was one of 12 children and both  my parents played the piano. I played piano "by ear" from the time I was five,  studied classical in my teens,  and later jazz with Earl Rolf.  When I was 19  studied Voice with Mary Kay Strasek, and then became a band singer appearing in local night clubs. I performed regularly with my husband, on South Bass Island at a private club, and for the last three years at a restaurant there.  Buddy and I  also continue to perform together at local clubs and private affairs.
 
Performing with the TOPS Swing Band has been an exciting experience for me.   It is inspiring to be associated with such talented musicians.  I am grateful to Dick Wooley for this learning opportunity, and for the friendships that have developed within the group. 3 children, 5 grand-children.

Davis, Ron - Vocalist. Retired Street Superintendent, City of Cleveland. Started playing trombone at age 14, a jump-start into the music business for the next 39 years. Studied acting and playwriting at the Karamu House and the Cleveland Playhouse. Vocal lessons with Bob Beck of the Cleveland Opera. Studied and performed with Ace Carter and with Eddie Baccus the past 20 years. Married, 2 kids, hobbies are music and the performing arts. "Thank God for trombone lessons."

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Contacts:
Dick Wooley: 440-871-0480 E-mail Dick

Ron Davis: 216-244-0646 E-mail Ron

Joe Trzcinski: 216-932-3228