Big Top Bob
Photo: Steve StoutBob Greene of Ottawa, who near the end of his career was one of only four professional circus calliope players in the nation, spent 57 years on the road working for 25 different traveling troupes. "Nothing compares to the musical sounds a calliope can produce," claims the 78-year-old retiree. "It just demands attention, perfect for pulling an audience's attention toward circus acts and parades."
05/24/2011
Steve Stout, steves@mywebtimes.com
OTTAWA, IL--When he was a teenager, Bob Greene did not run away to join the circus.
His father drove him.
"It was 1950 and just four days after I graduated from Ottawa High School, my dad took me over to Iowa where I joined up with the Jay Gould Circus as the calliope player. My folks were happy I had a job so soon after graduation. That was the start of a 57-year career for me working in various circus troupes," said Greene, reflecting on a life under the big top.
The retired 78-year-old, who moved back to his hometown three years ago, said he played the unique organ-like instrument in 25 traveling circuses during his long career. He estimates he has performed in all 48 states in the continental United States.
"I can't read music, never could, and I didn't learn much taking a few piano lessons when I was a kid. Playing just came naturally to me while fooling around with my grandmother's piano when I was a kid," Greene said. He fell in love with the calliope the first time he played one.
"It's a remarkable instrument," said Greene.
His father drove him.
"It was 1950 and just four days after I graduated from Ottawa High School, my dad took me over to Iowa where I joined up with the Jay Gould Circus as the calliope player. My folks were happy I had a job so soon after graduation. That was the start of a 57-year career for me working in various circus troupes," said Greene, reflecting on a life under the big top.
The retired 78-year-old, who moved back to his hometown three years ago, said he played the unique organ-like instrument in 25 traveling circuses during his long career. He estimates he has performed in all 48 states in the continental United States.
"I can't read music, never could, and I didn't learn much taking a few piano lessons when I was a kid. Playing just came naturally to me while fooling around with my grandmother's piano when I was a kid," Greene said. He fell in love with the calliope the first time he played one.
"It's a remarkable instrument," said Greene.
Photo: Photo providedOttawa native Bob Greene, 78, performed on his beloved calliope in more than two dozen different traveling troupes during a circus music career that spanned nearly six decades. Greene bought the calliope for $600 in the 1950s and sold it three years ago for $8,000 upon retirement.
He explained playing the calliope (he pronounces the word in three syllables, rhyming with "hope" instead of the traditional way with four syllables rhyming with "tree") takes a particular musical talent.
"A piano has 88 keys while a calliope has 43 "whistle" keys with no foot pedals," Greene said. "So there's no way to tone it down. A calliope is loud, shrill and commands attention whenever it's played — perfect for pulling an audience toward circus acts and parades. Mine ran on compressed air — in the old days on riverboats, many calliopes were steam-powered."
Parades are one of the things Greene misses most about being on the road for more than half a century. "I would be there sitting in a huge colorful truck with my calliope blasting out music behind the elephants in parades in town after town. The crowds would push into the streets and everyone would wave and laugh. And every day a new town. It was wonderful."
Like most workers in a traveling troupe, Greene had many responsibilities in various circuses during his career. "I watered and fed the elephants and other animals, worked concession and, for a time, I was even a snake handler in one of the sideshows."
Greene bought his own calliope upon his return to the circus after he was drafted into the Army in 1953. "I bought it for $600, played the thing for more than 50 years without any major repairs and sold it to a circus memorabilia collector a few years ago for $8,000," he said. "Calliopes aren't being made anymore and working ones have become real collector items."
Within his apartment at a local retirement center, Greene surrounds himself with elephant, clown and other circus figurines, reminders of his life on the road.
He's never regretted not having a "normal job." He's never had a drivers license and spent most of his life living on wheels.
"My life has been quite the adventure and I have never been sorry about the road I took. I've been to just about every state in the Union when a lot of people never leave their backyard," Greene said.
Looking back, he is most proud of the joy his circuses and calliope brought to countless boys and girls everywhere he traveled.
"Nobody is ever sad at the circus." he said.
"Most of the circuses I worked for had a season of about 36 weeks with a journey to a new town almost every day. Off season, we'd winter in Florida. I'm proud to say, of all those thousands of shows, I never missed a performance," said Greene.
"Remember," Greene said with a smile, "The show must go on. And when we're packed up and gone — all that's left are popcorn sacks and wagon tracks."
EDITOR'S NOTE:
BOBBY GREEN WAS OUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR WHEN
WE RESIDED IN GIBSONTON. FL.
No comments:
Post a Comment