Musicians & Groups Currently Displayed

More musicians and groups to come….

Interactive Touchscreen – Music Videos, Photos, Interviews, and More

Ronnie James Dio

Mickey Lee Soule, David Feinstein, The Rods

Spiegle Willcox

Arnald Gabriel, Tex Roe

Artifacts & Narratives

Charlie’s recordings

Charlie Bertini’s Circus Showband

Charlie Bertini

Danny’s drum, signature drumsticks, etc.

1978-79, Rehearsing with Tony Bennet in Miami

Endorsed by Slingerland Drum Company

Ronnie’s albums

Dio Platinum Record Award

Ronnie’s Early Bands

Spiegle Big Band Years

Spiegle’s First Trombone

Tex Roe’s 1970 Album

Thanks to all who have donated artifacts and provided information about Cortland County musicians. We look forward to further development of the exhibit. Here are just a few highlights:

Singer-Songwriter Marc Ryan

Danny D’Imperio and his H.S. classmate Phil Tennant, after a long discussion about Cortland’s music history.

Ronnie’s Cortland Bandmates and lifelong friends.

Local musician Marc Ryan, lead guitarist and vocalist with the band M3, recently donated four first-press DIO albums for further development of our exhibit. Danny D’Imperio has not only provided artifacts and information about his music career, he’s also been a wealth of information about Cortland’s early music history. The Bertini family has shared hundreds of photographs covering decades of Old Timers Band performances and Cortland’s early music history. In March, 2023, a panel of Ronnie James Dio’s former band mates and lifelong friends – David Feinstein, Mickey Lee Soule, Butch Hyde, and Dick Bottoff, entertained a full auditorium with stories about their times with Ronnie. The information and artifacts they’ve provided have been crucial for development of the exhibit.

Spiegle Willcox’s daughter, Cythina Willcox Stubbs, along with his daughter-in-law and grandchildren have provided artifacts and information for the display.

Spiegle’s daughter, Cynthia Willcox Stubbs

Willcox family members visit the Spiegle Willcox exhibit.

Cortland Old Timers Band

1989 Sam Forcucci, Director

1994 Donna Yaccavone, Director

Old Timers Band, 2000

Arnald Gabriel and Ed O’Rourke, Band Director 2012-18

Music Events in 2023

In February, 2023, SUNY Cortland Emeritus Music Professor Ralph Dudgeon presented Spiegle Willcox’s early career as a jazz trombonist. In March, David “Rock” Feinstein, Mickey Lee Soule, Harold “Butch” Hyde, and Dick Bottoff entertained a full auditorium with stories about Ronnie James Dio and his early Cortland bands. In September, the Cortland Old Timers Band performed during a CNY Living History Center event.

Ralph Dudgeon on Spiegle’s Early Career

Ronnie’s Cortland Bandmates and lifelong friends.

Visitors enjoying the music display

Cortland Old Timers Band

Thanks to our partners and supporters:

The Siegle Foundation

The Homer Center for the Arts https://center4art.org/

Gary McCheyne at the The Cayuga Music Shop https://www.cayugamusic.com/staff.html