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started at the
Jefferson Theatre, when the regular organist there could not appear on account of inclement weather. In 1919 he began playing at the Fifty-Sixth Street Theater. He became the premiere theatre organist in the Philadelphia area for decades, earning the nickname “Melody Mac”.
86:. During this time, he made numerous concert appearances, often in conjunction with the American Association of Theater Organ Enthusiasts. Highlights included being named convention organist for the Forty-Seventh Annual Rotary Convention in 1956, and as guest soloist with the
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skills. He was said to be able to play any song he had heard from memory, making up the chords and accompaniment as he went along. On his radio show, he offered a prize to any listener who could stump him with a song, but was rarely bested. He was reviewed by
102:, with his wife, Dorothy. In 1963, McClain traveled to Baltimore, Buffalo, Rochester and Philadelphia to record organs in four theatres scheduled for demolition and to California to record at the
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By 1950 he was recording for
Musicart Records. The late 1950s and early 1960s were the peak of MacClain’s exposure, as he signed a recording contract with Epic Records, where he recorded the
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in
Glendale. These sessions were released on the Ralbar Records label. By 1966 health issues forced him to cancel appearances. He died in 1967.
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MacClain was also popular on radio, where he had his own show. In 1935 he debuted an instrument called the “Photona” on the
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Atlantic City
Convention Hall Organ Society, Inc., “Beauty and the Beast” Grand Ophicleide, Issue 28, Summer 2005, p. 7.
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Philadelphia theatres, A-Z: A comprehensive, descriptive record of 813 theatres constructed since 1724
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25th
Anniversary Release in Memory of Leonard MacClain—recorded 1963 (1992) Vantage Records VCD-6303
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Theatre Organ: Journal of the
American Association of Theatre Organ Enthusiasts, Volume 8, Issue 2
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Theatre Organ After Dark (Epic LN-3697)(1960) (Re-released as
Columbia Special Products EPSP-569)
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Leonard MacClain Plays
Baltimore's Fabulous Stanton Theatre Organ (Ralbar Records SOLP 6302)
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Leonard MacClain's Golden Years of
Theatre Organ (1963) Ralbar Records SDLP6300) 2 disc set
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His playing was described as “forthright” and “sensible”, yet he was also noted for his
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in the
Philadelphia area. He gained international exposure through his recordings for
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ATOS 50th anniversary: American Theatre Organ Society reaches solid gold milestone
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MacClain was sought after as a teacher of his instrument. Students included
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Leonard MacClain Plays For Theatre Organ Lovers (Ralbar Records SOLP 6301)
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Behold the Mighty Wurlitzer: The history of the theatre pipe organ
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640:"Pipe Organ Music – Leonard MacClain: Theatre Organ in Hi-Fi"
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613:, "Organists Guests at Dix Residence", July 4, 1958, p. 15.
698:. Library of Congress Copyright Office. 1934. p. 239.
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Catalog of Copyright Entries: Musical compositions, Part 3
628:. American Association of Theatre Organ Enthusiasts. 1964.
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Choice Christmas Carols (Valdoray VLD-101-L) 10"Lp (1952)
27:– September 1967, Devault, Pennsylvania) was an American
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1956 Proceedings: Forty-Seventh Annual Rotary Convention
409:"The Sound of Silents: 'Phantom' organist in O.C."
485:Nielsen Business Media, Inc. (10 November 1956).
281:(Melbourne, Australia), December 18, 1957, p. 15.
181:More Theater Organ in Hi-Fi (Epic LN-3655) (1960)
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75:, and had foot controls for volume and tremolo.
358:Kinerk, Michael D.; Wilhelm, Dennis W. (2005).
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713:(LP). Leonard MacClain. Epic Records. LN-3372.
491:. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 138–.
388:. Historic Lansdowne Theater Corporation. 2009
364:. American Theatre Organ Society. p. 69.
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275:Masters, John. "Christmas Record Avalanche",
437:Radio Roundup: New Instrument for Radio Work
297:(Charleston, SC), October 20, 1957, p. 15-C.
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169:Theater Organ in Hi-Fi (Epic LN-3273)(1956)
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134:, Dick Smith, Shirley Hannum Keither, and
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172:Joy to the World (Epic LN-3283) (1956)
82:organ in the Tower Theatre located in
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576:. Rotary International. p. 29.
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67:network. The instrument was of two
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782:People from Ocean City, New Jersey
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590:. Organ Historical Society. 1995.
434:O’Dial, Michael (April 25, 1935).
98:.” During this time he lived in
84:Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania
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407:Mangan, Timothy (16 April 2009).
337:Hall, Ben M. (August 24, 1962).
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146:“Days Without You are Endless”
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176:Operetta for the Theatre Organ
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96:The Stars and Stripes Forever
558:, September 17, 1961, p. 45.
555:Reading (Pennsylvania) Eagle
142:Partial list of compositions
71:, each manual including six
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772:Musicians from Philadelphia
661:Espe, Erik (8 March 1996).
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711:Operetta for Theatre Organ
475:, January 21, 1950, p. 43.
413:The Orange County Register
152:“Where You Are Concerned”
777:Musicians from New Jersey
544:, December 1, 1956 p. 22.
310:Glazer, Irvin R. (1986).
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218:Landon, John W. (1983).
110:Playing style and legacy
35:who was prominent as an
757:American male organists
51:MacClain's career as a
792:20th-century organists
149:“Smile Darn Ya Smile”
100:Ocean City, New Jersey
88:Philadelphia Orchestra
709:Schupp, Enos (1957).
178:(Epic LN-3372) (1957)
104:Lorin Whitney Studios
767:Epic Records artists
295:The News and Courier
156:Selected discography
19:(September 8, 1899,
726:, Volume 10, p. 92.
316:. Greenwood Press.
123:as “outstanding.”
752:American organists
665:. Palo Alto Online
642:. theatreorgan.com
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747:1967 deaths
742:1899 births
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646:22 February
502:23 February
454:|work=
419:22 February
392:22 February
256:22 February
29:keyboardist
736:Categories
201:References
542:Billboard
512:cite book
497:0006-2510
488:Billboard
472:Billboard
456:ignored (
446:cite book
386:"History"
121:Billboard
94:playing “
80:Wurlitzer
65:CBS Radio
47:Biography
37:organist
33:composer
278:The Age
73:octaves
69:manuals
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161:Albums
671:2011
648:2011
592:ISBN
524:help
504:2011
493:ISSN
458:help
421:2011
394:2011
366:ISBN
345:Life
318:ISBN
258:2011
230:ISBN
55:for
31:and
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