The Grapevine: Looking Forward to Return to Normal and Enjoying Virtual Concert Featuring John Angotti
By Rosalyn Queen Alonso on May 19, 2020 from The Grapevine
The current National situation continues and just when it looks like there might be light at the end of the tunnel the blackness returns. It seems that this has become a way of life and eventually we get used to it. But being the optimistic person that I am I look forward to returning to what was normal in the past. For the first time in a long time I was able to sit down and eat at-a restaurant.It was surprising to me just how much this meant to me, and how important dining out had become to my current style of life. Hopefully it will soon return to the old “normal.”
The other evening as I prepared myself for the usual sit alone, television, reading evening, my phone rang and it was Leslie telling me to get on Facebook and listen to the John Angotti on Ryan Road Concert. I cannot imagine any of my readers not knowing John Angotti but just in case, here is a brief recap. His mom and dad were John and MaryAnn Angotti. Mary Ann was a Basil from Anmoore and was an accomplished pianist. She taught piano to many local students from her studio in her home on Ryan Road. I sat many hours in her home as Leslie took lessons from her. Her children all learned to play the piano and John excelled as he became a professional and has pursued a career as a musician.
Now here is the rest of the story. Both John and Mary Ann have passed away and the home on Ryan Road has been sold. The rooms are all empty except for the piano in the studio. The studio is fronted with one wall of windows that look across to the hills on the other side of Chestnut Hills. Set the scene, sitting at the piano in this empty room is John and sitting on a chair next to the piano I s Davin Seamon who will accompany John On the accordion as he presents the last concert “John Angotti From Ryan Road.” The selections included those dearest to his mother and an original written by John. When he sang “Mary,” we all shared his tears of love. As the concert was coming to an end the sun was setting and created a beautiful sunset as a backdrop to John, the piano and the studio and home on Ryan Road. I took it as a message from Mary Ann, “
After the concert I browsed through the Facebook messages and found them from California, Tennessee, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania and all over West Virginia. Many sharing messages of sitting in that room and taking lessons. What a wonderful way to spend an evening and what a tribute. Thank you John.
This pandemic is not over yet, take care of yourself, keep in touch and until next week “NowYou Have Heard It Through The Grapevine.”
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