| In
1967, I had been on the road as a traveling musician with the Jim Bee Four,
Sally was teaching school. On June 10th, 1968 Sally and I, along with
our two daughters Kathy (6) and Sara (4), purchased a restaurant in
Trempealeau, Wi., and called it "Ed Sullivan's", we incorporated an
Irish theme. I quit the music business, and Sally quit teaching. On December
22nd, 1969, Paula, daughter number three arrived, now Ed Sullivan's was
really a family operation. We did very well, in fact so well that in 1983 we
decided to add on to the restaurant, a bigger dining room, along with a
party room, and we added a gift shop .
But how did we get started in
radio? This also started in 1983. We were approached by Mr. Del Lonquist
(the owner of the radio station) to see if we would do an hour radio show on WKBH AM,
which at that time was located
in the Holmen Square Mall in Holmen, Wi. We would call our show the
"Blarney
Hour", our format would be "Easy Listening, Big Band, Dixie" etc.. Why not, it
sounded like it would be fun, and we were excited about the idea, I could make use of my wonderful record
collection and would be able to share all of this great music with anybody
that would be interested. We gathered a few sponsors and the show was a go.
After a couple of years, the show went from one hour to two hours and was
renamed the "Blarney Party", but
we had the luxury of doing it from our house in Trempealeau.
Well, with the big addition
to the restaurant, the radio, and all of the other things that we were
involved in, things finally caught up with me, I spent eight days in the
hospital in December of 1988, to say that I had to cut back would be an
understatement, in fact we were going to quit radio all together. But, Pat
Smith to the rescue, "NO DON'T QUIT", come to the
La Crosse Radio Group and do a Saturday radio show on
WLFN 1490, only one day a week, and
guess what, we've been there ever since, and you know, it's really been
great.
In 1992, with
WLFN 1490, we started fundraising
for the Children's Miracle Network, "The Blarney Party Challenge", and the
good Lord willing, 2005 will put us over $1,000,000.00.
On March 1st, 2001, we sold
the restaurant.
In 2002 we started "Blarney
Country" on WLFN 1490, every
Friday from 11:00am to 2:00pm.
I would like to thank my wife
Sally, our daughters, Kathy, Sara and Paula, their husbands Alan, Shane and
Brad, our grandkids, Billy, Braeden, Alana, Erik and Nick, and all of our
friends, for all of the love, dedication and support they have offered me.
THANK YOU GOD!
MAY ALL YOUR LIGHTS BE GREEN,
GET TO CHURCH, AND SAY A PRAYER TO ST. JUDE!
Slainte',
Ed , Sally and Family
THANKSGIVING DAY 2004
THE
SULLIVAN FAMILY
STANDING L TO R
TOP: BRAD, PAULA, SARA, ED, KATHY, ALAN
MIDDLE SITTING:
BILLY, SHANE, SALLY
FLOOR SITTING:
NICK, ALANA, ERIK, BRAEDEN
Sally's Brother Jim
-
James David Christie
-
Organ
concert commemorating the centennial of Mary of
the Angels
-
Chapel, 7 p.m., this Saturday, January 14th,
at the Mary of the Angels Chapel, St. Rose
Convent, La Crosse.
|
|
|
Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at http://www.lacrossetribune.com
Anniversary more than a pipe dream
David Christie poses in front of the organ in Mary of the
Angels Chapel in St. Rose Convent . Dick Riniker photo |
By TERRY RINDFLEISCH La Crosse Tribune
James David Christie felt right at home.
Christie sat down at the pipe organ Tuesday to play in Mary of
the Angels Chapel at St. Rose Convent. As a child, he played on the
old organ in the chapel’s loft when taking organ lessons from nuns.
The 53-year-old La Crosse native and organist for the Boston
Symphony Orchestra was rehearsing for his concert Saturday as part
of the centennial celebration of Mary of the Angels Chapel.
“The organ felt like it did when I played last time,” Christie
said. “It’s in real good shape. It’s easy to play, and it’s
uncomplicated. It’s a beautiful instrument, custom-designed for the
room and not too overpowering for this room.”
Christie last played the organ in the chapel when the Franciscan
Sisters of Perpetual Adoration dedicated the new organ in April
1983. The organ, a Casavant made in Montreal, has 1,422 pipes, 20
stops and 30 ranks.
He was one of the first to play the new organ in a recital at the
instrument’s dedication. He did it in exchange for one of his four
sisters, Maureen Christie Breuer, being allowed to have her wedding
in the chapel.
Christie said he has composed an organ suite of three pieces,
“Trois Hommages,” to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the
chapel. The first movement was written for his sister’s wedding, and
the second movement is dedicated to the memory of his teachers,
Sister Dolorette Recla, FSPA, and French organist Jean Langlais.
Looking around the chapel, Christie still marvels at its beauty.
“For some reason, it seemed bigger,” Christie said. “There are a
lot of memories here. I played harpsichord at the altar when I was
in high school.”
Christie called the chapel “an exquisite jewel box.” He added,
“It’s a room that inspires you. The acoustics are lovely. It’s one
of the treasures of La Crosse.”
Terry Rindfleisch can be reached at (608) 791-8227 or
trindfleisch@lacrossetribune.com.
|
|
