It was quite an impressive musical lineup, including the Four Aces as the headliners. (I previously mentioned the Four Aces in a post about their November 1954 appearance at O’Neil Sheffield Shopping Center.)
Also appearing on the All Star Show bill were Chicago singer and pianist Al Morgan, known for his big hit, “Jealous Heart”; singer Bill Darnell; the Four Lads, the popular Canadian singing quartet; and singer Dolores Hawkins, who recorded with the Four Lads in 1952.
But the main reason I wanted to post this ad was that my old trumpet teacher Alex Visci and his Quarter were backing up the four acts mentioned above.
Other local talent appearing at the show were Bob Nickoloff and His Band, the Gene Krugman Trio, impersonator Joe DeSantis and pantomime artist Russ Owens.
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You might remember my weeklong series on the Old Stone Villa last week. Well, while trading emails with Linda Harding about her grandparents and how they came to build the Villa, she casually mentioned that her Aunt and Uncle were Visci’s.
“Alex and Kitty [his wife] would come over every Friday night to play cards with my parents. He was amazing.”
It turns out that Linda’s father is a musician too – a sax player – and that he played with Alex Visci. Linda noted, “They played a lot together, along with my Uncle Louie who played accordion and trombone. Lots of musicians in my family.”
In fact, Linda’s son is a singer/songwriter in New York.
Linda also mentioned Mr. Visci’s favorite nickname for people: Erbs. Linda explained that her father told her “that he [Visci] would call anyone Erbs when he didn’t know their name."
I was taught trumpet lessons ,at Driscolls on Bdwy. for several years beginning in the early 50's by Mr, Visci. My opinion on him was great trumpet player, great guy.I also wanted to mention that the four aces, four lads, the crewcuts, four coins all sang at the old Showboat restaurant on Bdwy around that time era. went there, been there and heard them all sing.
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