KEN GRIFFIN
 
American Organist
International Recording Artist
1909 - 1956

"The Melody Lingered On"
2008 Dedication Show Report
 
53 HALF A CENTURY + OF MEMORIES 53

March the 11th 2009 records that it was exactly 53 years since Ken Griffin passed away. Half a century on, his music continues to entertain and his memory lives on through these pages and his many devoted fans throughout the World. Ken would have been 98 years old, only two years from his 100th birthday. He claimed that he had recorded enough tunes to last a hundred years. We are now past the half a century mark.
While his career was brief and his life ended far too young, Ken has left behind a legacy of fine music and an organ sound that will forever be known as the ' Griffin Sound.' From just one recording 'You Can't Be True, Dear' Ken's star rocketed him to worldwide fame. It may not be burning so brightly after all these years but it is far from extinguished and it's afterglow will continue as long as his fans and this web site remain and also as long as people, from any generation, enjoy music and song that has real melody. Long may Ken's memory, as the old tune says 'Linger On'.
 

"60 YEARS" It was 60 years on the 31st of December 2009 that Ken made his recordings of You Can't Be True, Dear and The Cuckoo Waltz.

Golden Sails                             You Didn't Want Me When You Had Me
With Jerry Wayne                                                        With Johnny Hill

Two more real oldies for you this time. Golden Sails, sung by Jerry Wayne and You Didn't Want me When You Had Me, sung by Johnny Hill. Ken travelled with The Neapolitans for a while and was very successful. They accompany on The Shades Are Down but I am not sure if the other vocalists, apart from Jerry Wayne, were all part of the same group.

WAV Cleaned tracks at 64kbps.
N.B. Copyright possibly still stands on the Music, if not on the actually recording.

INTERNET PIPE & ELECTRIC ORGAN RADIO STATION

Alan Ashton has a very intersting internet radio station going over at Organist's web site. It is a monthly programme changing on the 1st of each month. Alan introduces old and new recordings in a very pleasant manner and his enthusiasm and knowledge comes through. Check this month's programme out at: Organ 1st Radio Alan's July 2008 programme included two tracks from the CD Set, whicht is selling extremely well. In the September 2008 programme Alan introduced our great Ken play-a-like organist Eric Larson and played a couple of his recordings. Be sure to tune in on the 1st of each month. Click on the Organ 1st Radio link, above.

"Drifting & Dreaming" REXX 334. 2 x CD by Ken will be availabe from the 22nd June 2009. Another 50 great recordings, which I am sure will contain your favourites and possibly a good few tracks that you have never heard before. Click on the photo to go to Organs.co.uk web site for full details. Price: £8.95.

 Skate On from Jasminesbecame a best selling CD's it would be nice if you can all help to possibly make this one by Rexx 334 an even bigger hit.
                              50 GREAT TRACKS on two CD's

If you only know Ken from You Can't Be True, Dear and Cuckoo Waltz, this fantastic collection will introduce you to the greater depth of Ken's playing styles and prove what a great organist and musical arranger he was.

 
"SKATE ON" 
This Best Seller is still available at Jasmine's Store. Click On photo.

Go to new record Company for all the latest news on what's happening in the organ world and the latest organ CD's on the market.
THE HISTORICAL RECORD COMPANY
  Features all types of organ music, with an emphasis on recordings made on the Sanfillipo Wurlitzer Organ and their magnificently preserved Fun Fair organs.

1. History
(About myself and the record collection)

 2. Obituaries  (Updated 01. 11. 05)
-(News articles from Philips Record Ltd)     
   

3. 78rpm collection (11. 11. 07 One 78 added)

4. Extended play Includes cover pictures.

 5. 10" LP collection   (5b LP Cover Text)
 April 22nd 2006 10" LP added. March 10th 2005

 One LP added. 

6. 12" LP collection Page One(6b LP Cover Text)
    12" LP collection Page Two 

    12" LP collection Page Three (11th Nov. 2007
                                                           One LP added)

7. Ken's CD Collection (New 06. 06. 08)

8. Radio Transcriptions

9. 67 Melody Lane TV Series (Link to 8b)
Video Clips for your media player. 

9b. Picture Gallery (New October 2003)


10. Guitarists Who Accompanied Ken (Update 26.03.03)

11. Vocalists on Ken's records (Update 12.07.03)

12. Ken on a Pipe Organ 'resolved'!

13. A Letter By Ken & Signed Photograph

14. The Ken Griffin Dedication Show Reports
       2002-2007. With photographs. 

15. Visit to To Sanfilippo Estate (Update November 2006)  

16. Joe Negri & Johnny Costa News
20. 06. 04. Corrections and updated text

to Johnny's information.
 
25.08. 08. Additional internet links added.

17. Ken On Spike Jones Radio Show (Updated 13.03.04)

18. 1942 Postcard Photo of Ken (New 29th June 2004)

19. Ken Master Pressings (26. 01. 06)

20. Little Prayers For Little People (MP3's)

21. Earlier Web Site Communications

22. Ken (Family Photo) New October 2004.  Update 28.5.08

23. Kirby Griffin (Update 23. 06. 05)

24. Visits to Ken's graveside + 50th Anniversary
Service, including response
  (Update Nov. 2006)

Latest News  

30. 06. 09.  New Discography of Ken's recordings. Click on the
                     the date.

31. 05.09.   Found an interesting web site with information and photographs of Marjorie Meinert when she worked at the WOC Radio & TV stations in Iowa. Click on the date to go to the page which is in Frank Pugno's 'Electronic Organs' section (Link 32).

25. 05. 09. New Rexx double CD available from June 22nd. 
 
16. 05. 09.
On the Home page you will find the two latest mp3's by Ken of Golden sails and You Didn't Want Me When You had Me with vocalists Jerry Wayne & Johnny Hill. Both Rondo recordings.

On the Latest News Page is one of the few colour photo of Ken, taken from the Philip's E.P (Produced in Holland) Hammond Rythm, which I purchased off Ebay back in February. You will find the EP added to my collection at Extended Play .

Also, with thanks to Wilfred Hosteland for what is believed to the last photo ever taken of Ken, only days from his death. Ken was appearing at a Ladies' Group gathering. Also included are photographs of Ken's flat in Chicago where he lived. It was from the flat number 1617 that Ken took the 6 & 7 to form the name of his 1954 TV show 67 Melody Lane. The colour photo was taken in this flat as was the one on the Columbia LP The Organ Plays At Christmas. 

25.  Hear Ken play plus the incredible 'play-a-like'
        Eric Larson

26. The Conn Organ (Re-write 24. 08. 05)
      By Frank Pugno

27. The Wurlitzer ES Organ.  
       By Eric Larson (Complete re-write Oct. 2002)

28. The Hammond Organ.
    By Eric Larson (Complete re-write Oct. 2002)

29. Ken's Mother-of-Pearle Hammond AV
       By Eric Larson (Complete re-write Oct. 2002)

30. Ken's Special Effects  
       By Eric Larson ( 03.05.02)

31. Sally's Page (New February 2003)

32. Electronic Organs: (Update 31st May 2009)

33 Wilfred Hosteland's Page (Update 23rd Feb. 2003)
(Comments from people who knew or attended Ken's
  shows)

34. Danish & English Organ Web Site.
       By Johs Wienberg-Larsen.

35. Bryon Young's Pages (Update 16th May 2008)

36. Phil Gunsul Commemoration (24th Dec 2005)


Hawaiian Magic CD available
(Click here)

Contact me at reidcrcwdr@aol.com
Back to www.theatreorgans.com

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Eric Larson At The Organ (mp3's)

www.hornandwhistle.net

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Personal Web Sites

The Colour Reversal Club

Touring Scotland (Updated March 2008)

Tivoli Memories

Kittybrewster Memories

Duncan's    Reid's (Family History)

Ellon To Boddam (Railway Walk)

"Bon-Accord" Preservation

Mary Garden (Opera Singer)

Beautiful America (A//V Presentation)

  The Isle Of Barra (A/V Presentation)

Bill & Elise's Wedding June 2008

The Isle Of Skye (Web Site)

Cornerstone (Didcot) Opening

Didcot Orchard Centre

Royal Deeside Railway Visit 2008

Keith & Dufftown Railway Visit 2008

Stirling & Alloa Railway Visit 2008

The Falkirk Wheel 2009

New link to the Above I have added the internet address for Eric Larson's 'Horns & Whistles' web site. Eric has kindly made a link to this web site and we hope that many more people will find our respective web sites more readily.

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