The Golden Age of the Accordion, 3rd Edition
by Ronald Flynn, Edwin Davison, Edward Chavez
Published by Flynn Publications (1992)
360 pages
Soft cover
Book measures 8 x 11 x 1 inches
Professionally bound
Includes dozens of photographs, many full-page
Truly a treasured item in the library of the discriminating accordion aficionado.
How to Order
Item is $70.00
US orders: Send $75.00 by check or money order (includes $5.00 shipping & handling charge) to:
Henry Doktorski
142 Holly Hill Drive
Oakdale PA 15071-3056
Canadian customers: send $80.00 (includes $10.00 shipping & handling charge)
Overseas customers: send $86.00 (includes $16.00 shipping & handling charge) and send payment using PayPal (PayPal) or Western Union (Western Union) to 
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Dedication
Photo of Pietro Deiro, Vince Cirelli, and Ron Flynn
Photo of Charles Magnante and Ron Flynn
Collage of Ron Flynn’s Accordions and Photographs
Table of Contents
Index of Photographs
Acknowledgments
About the Authors
How This Book Came About
A Beginning Word About the Information in this Book
Foreword: By Dr. Willard A. (Bill) Palmer, Senior Editor, Alfred Music Co.
PART I: GOLDEN AGE OF THE ACCORDION IN SAN FRANCISCO
PROLOGUE
San Francisco -- The Early Beginnings
Some Afterthoughts
Biaggio Quattrociocche: Early Accordion Music Publisher and
John Barsuglia: Early Accordion Teacher (By Ron Flynn)
Pictorial History: Guerrini Accordion Company
Pictorial History: Colombo & Sons Accordion Company
Pictorial History: Standard Accordion Company
Appendix
Bibliography
PART II: GOLDEN AGE OF THE ACCORDION IN CHICAGO AND THE MIDWEST
Some Thoughts About the Accordion History of Chicago (By Manny Quartucci)
Biographical Sketch of Manny Quartucci (By Edwin Davison)
The Fantastic Art of Art Van Damme (By Ron Flynn)
Special Tribute to the Remarkable Leo Sash (By Ron Flynn)
Alice Hall – Queen of Accordion Jazz (By Jim Mihelic and Edwin Davison)
Mort Herold – Renowned Chicago Accordion Virtuoso (By Eddie Chavez)
PART III: GOLDEN AGE OF THE ACCORDION IN NEW YORK AND THE NORTHEAST
Personal Reflections on Pietro Frosini (By Marcello Roviaro)
Remembering My Father, Guido Deiro (By Count Robert Deiro)
My Life and Career (By Charles Nunzio)
My Life and Career with the Accordion (By Frank Umbriaco)
Through the Years – My Live in Music (By Frank Gaviani)
An Interview with John Reuther (By Ron Flynn)
A Memorial Tribute to John Reuther (By Edward Chavez)
Comments on the John Reuther Interview (By Bill Palmer)
Tribute in Memory of Bill Hughes (By Bill Palmer)
The Life and Musical Works of Joe Biviano (By Edwin Davison)
History is Made at Carnegie! (By Joe Biviano)
Charles Magnante – The Man. The Artist We Loved –
A Multiple Tribute By His Friends (By Ron Flynn)
PART IV: GOLDEN AGE OF THE ACCORDION IN OTHER MAJOR AREAS OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA
Maestro Anthony Galla-Rini – Accordion Pioneer, Teacher, and Concert Artist (By Bill Palmer)
My Early Life and Personal Recollections of the Champagne Days of the Accordion (By Myron Floren)
Frank Yankovic – America’s Polka King (By John Buday)
Dick Contino – The “Rudolph Valentino” of the Accordion (By Edwin Davison)
John Molinari – Acclaimed San Francisco Accordionist (By Diva Molinari and Tony Rozance)
Arthur Metzler – His Life and Love for the Accordion (By Edwin Davison)
My Concert Tours to Russia and Saskatchewan (By Leo Aquino)
My Career and University Program of Accordion and Music Instruction (By Joan Cochran Sommers)
Personal Reflections About My Career with the Accordion (By Robert Davine)
Early Twentieth Century Accordion Notes (By Sylvia Prior)
The Accordion (By Toni Charuhas)
PART V: ACCORDION MANUFACTURERS AND ACCORDION REPAIR IN THE UNITED STATES
Joe Petosa – The Man and Legacy Behind Petosa Accordions (By Edwin Davison)
Giulietti Accordion Corporation: Yesterday and Today (By Jack Kenley)
Colombo & Sons – San Francisco’s Premier Accordion Company (By Edwin Davison)
The Iorio Family – Early Organ and Accordion Manufacturer (By Edwin Davison)
Deffner Legacy – Ernest Deffner, Inc., Pancordion, Inc., and Titano Accordion Company (By Dr. Salvatore Febbraio)
The Gabbanelli Story: The History of Gabbanelli Accordions (By Julius V. Tupa)
Joe Spano – In Search of Perfection: Teacher, Musician, and Accordion Designer (By Ellen and Cassie Conolly and Diane Schmidt)
John Buday – Cleveland’s Accordionist “Extraordinaire” (By Edwin Davison)
Accordion-O-Rama – A Shopper’s Accordion World (By Edwin Davison)
My Life and Thoughts About the World of Accordion Repair (By Emil Baldoni)
End Notes
Index
REVIEWS
By Maestro Anthony Galla-Rini (1904-2006)
Concert Accordionist, Composer, and Lecturer
This book is must for every accordionist, accordion student, and accordion enthusiast across the United States. The historical approach used by the authors present an interesting and definitive coverage of the growth and development of the accordion in the United States.
Heavily illustrated with interesting photographs of early accordionists and accordion memorabilia, this book is extremely valuable for the illustrations alone. The historical account of the accordion in early San Francisco is a key story in the book, as San Francisco was the accordion capital of America for many years. Organized by area of the country, the book introduces the key pioneers from the 'Golden Age of the Accordion' and tells their interesting life stories through a collection of biographic and autobiographic articles.
So thorough is the book that the authors even covered accordion manufacturing, sales, and repair service in the United States. These firms were given an opportunity to tell their history and discuss their accordion lines or service specialties. Their addresses are included for those who may wish to request brochures or other information.
Significantly, this book documents the fact that after the accordion came into the limelight (circa 1908), the accordion has never really disappeared since then. The spotlight merely moved away from Vaudeville, after its decline (circa 1932), and began to focus in other directions.
I believe every accordionist in America, after reading this book, will applaud the efforts of Ron Flynn, Edwin Davison, and Eddie Chavez, who teamed up to write it. Their love for the accordion is apparent. They have done a great service through their determined effort to publish this comprehensive, well-documented history of the accordion in America.
By Lionel Reekie (New Zealander Accordionist, Vocalist, and Teacher)
The accordion, patented in the mid 1800’s is a relatively young instrument, and yet in the last 160 years or so, its popularity has spread worldwide and become an integral part of the culture in many countries. Outside of Europe, it is the United States and the accordionists of that country that have possibly made one of the greatest contributions to the advancement of the instrument.
The Golden Age of the Accordion" published by Flynn Publications is promoted on this week’s site, and although the site simply acts to advertise this book, it is probably well worth a look at if you are considering ordering it. The book covers the early days of U.S. accordion history from the 1900's through to the 1950's, which is a period that has come to be known as the "Golden Age" of the accordion. Included in the book are biographies and autobiographies of key accordion pioneers which portray their lives and times during this era of U.S. and accordion history.
Certainly the book comes with some high recommendations, as included in the site is a review from internationally famous accordionist Anthony Galla-Rini. On a light hearted note, a couple of cartoons featured in the current edition have been put up on the site, along with the pricing and ordering information. Now in its third edition, the new inclusions in the book have been listed, however, I feel perhaps a little more of the books’ content "on-line" would make this site of even more interest. Hopefully many people will still take the opportunity to look at whether this book should be part of their accordion literature collection.
By Jackie Mashore (Accordionist and President of the Oklahoma Accordion Club)
Can you conceive an accordion picnic with over 10,000 people in attendance? Accordionists and lovers of its music gathered in the morning, and many ate breakfast lunch and dinner, before leaving the picnic at sunset. The year was 1933. The city was San Francisco. Or imagine an all-accordion concert where the printed program filled five pages. Or try to imagine regional competitions with as many as 3,000 – 5,000 accordionists. Events such as this were not uncommon during the Golden Age of the Accordion, the mid-1930’s through the early 1960’s.
Ronald Flynn, Edwin Davison, and Eddie Chavez document these glimpses of past grandeur of the accordion in a most fascinating book, “The Golden Age of the Accordion.” (Published by Flynn Associates Publishing Company, 1992.) This is an unusual publication, a mixture of encyclopedia, documentary, autobiography, biography, scrapbook, and tribute encompassing the history of the people, events, and manufacturers who established the accordion as a popular instrument in America. The text is divided into five major sections, each covering a region of the United States; with Part 1 dedicated specifically to San Francisco where the Golden Age took hold.
The purpose of the book is singular and is expressed by Willard A. (Bill) Palmer in the foreword, “...it is important for the sake of musical history, to record some of those artists whose accomplishments contributed so much to the development of the accordion and to its almost incredible popularity during its “golden era.” and “the fascinating stories of their struggles, triumphs, and accomplishments should not be lost to the people of future times.”
In my few years as an accordionist I have become familiar with many important names and realized that people such as Magnante, Diero, Frosini, Palmer, Hughes, Galla-Rini, and many others, are revered for their lasting influence. Through exploring this book, I discovered what set these and others apart in the accordion world. I have also been enlightened to the importance of those masters mentioned in the text who are still with us, and the significance of those who continue to carry the torch.
This book is an indispensable treasure for anyone interested in the history of the heroes of the accordion during the fascinating “Golden Age.
