Mike Roncone / Mike Roncone Orchestra

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Youngstown, 1950s-early 1960s

The name Orchestra might suggest they were a supper club favorite, but this Orchestra could rock. Mike Roncone led this band - or orchestra - for many years. Mike was a guitarist and started playing in 1950 or so with the Twilight Serenaders. That band made appearences on Wilkins Amateur Hour in Pittsburgh and Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour.

In the mid 1950s Mike got into rock-n-roll, and along the way his younger brothers joined to make the Mike Roncone band that played the area. Anthony "Tony" played sax and Gino "Gene" who was 5 years younger than Mike. They were the core of the band for many years.

The band played dances with a variety of sounds including standards and rock-n-roll. They backed the Edsels and played Idora Park often, also the Cove in Geneva

They recorded four 45s of instrumentals, definitely the sound of the Mahoning Valley before the British Invasion. "Junk Yard" is a good example of their sound, with a Bill Doggett feel. Some of their recordings used standards and are more jazzy. The song "Rita" seemed to have been named for Mike's wife.

They had a 45 on Capitol that was released as part of the deal that landed the Edsels on Capitol. Mike and the band backed up the Edsels and Capitol released a 45 using two of the previously issused Tammy sides, both band originals. 

The 1963 Tammy 45 was the last record they made that fits into the pop-rock sound. The band contiued playing for many years moving to the polka and European ethnic music still popular in NE Ohio.

Discography:
Rita / Hangover - Tammy 1004, Sept 1958
Hawaiian War Chant / Train Ride - Tammy 1006, 1959
Secret Love / Junk Yard - Tammy 1012, 1961
Train Ride / Junk Yard - Capitol 4589, June 1961
Buttons And Bows / Gin And Ginger - Tammy 8441, 1963 (assumed to be 1021 in the Tammy number sequence)