Remembering Guy Lombardo, Mr. New Year's Eve and the sweetest music this side of heaven

By FRANK BARNING

To me, New Year's Eve has never been the same since Guy Lombardo passed away in 1977. He lived in Freeport, on Long Island's south shore and owned a popular seafood restaurant there, Guy Lombardo's East Point House.

According to Wikipedia: "Lombardo's orchestra played at the Roosevelt Grill in the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City from 1929 to 1959, and their New Year's Eve broadcasts (which continued with Lombardo until 1976 at the Waldorf Astoria) were a major part of New Year's celebrations across North America. Even after Lombardo's death, the band's New Year's specials continued for two more years on CBS. The Royal Canadians were noted for playing the traditional song Auld Lang Syne as part of the celebrations. Their recording of the song still plays as the first song of the new year in Times Square."

"Lombardo later became promoter and musical director of Jones Beach Marine Theater, which is a still-popular concert venue south of Freeport - the venue was built specifically with him in mind by Robert Moses, who regarded himself as one of Lombardo's fans. Lombardo's final production at Jones Beach was in 1977."

While in college in the early 1960s, I worked at the Jones Beach Marine Theatre for four summers as an employee of the Long Island State Park Commission, which was headed by Moses.

Some nights, Lombardo arrived at the theatre on his boat, a short ride from his waterfront home in Freeport. Most evenings, he showed up in a gleaming white Cadillac. His brothers Victor, Carmen and Lebert also drove to the theatre. I was a parking lot attendant, except for one summer when I was the night watchman, and remember waving to the Lombardo brothers each evening when they entered. Usually, they responded with a wave and a smile. The band's lead singer was the husband of Guy's sister Elaine, Kenny Gardner.

The Lombardos had private parking spaces next to the Marine Theatre. In front of each space, on a pole, was the first name of each brother. I remember that one summer someone painted the word "Wise" above Guy's name. It remained there for weeks, so I guess he was not offended.

As I write this, we are only a few hours away from the ball dropping on Times Square. The memories flood back of parties I attended over the years, old friends with whom I spent those fun times and perhaps most of all, Lombardo, a Long Island guy. With apologies to Dick Clark and Ryan Seacrest, Guy will always be Mr. New Year's Eve to me.