On Labor Day weekend, the St. Lawrence Club in Steelton, Pennsylvania is hosting the first annual Steelton Button Box Bash! The event will feature continuous music with performances by nationally- and regionally-known performers.
The performers include Ron Pivovar who hails from western Pennsylvania. Ron is a well-known performer, composer for the diatonic accordion, and the organizer of the National Button Accordion Festival held each year in Sharon, Pennsylvania. Ron has produced the 10 CD “Otter Creek” series of button accordion recordings. In 2011 and 2015 Ron was a member of the Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame Awards Show Band. In 2009 Ron was a member of “Polka Party 2009”, a group of American musicians that performed in Holland.
Also performing is William Hayes of Staunton, Virginia. William played backup for the Statler Brothers, and is a regular performer with the River City Radio Hour and the Shenandoah Jamboree at the Wayne Theatre in Waynesboro, VA. He also plays with the “Peoples Polka Party,” and the Richard Williams Trio. His range of styles includes a variety of genres from ragtime and country to rockabilly, pop and polka.
David Bey will also take the stage. David, from North Carolina, is a favorite of many at the National Button Accordion Festival and is known as a powerhouse player. He jokingly refers to himself as the only button box player in the state of North Carolina.
Cody McSherry of Lancaster, Pennsylvania will also be taking the stage. At the age of fifteen Cody is already a master of the button accordion, and has won the Diatonic Open competition at the Leavenworth International Accordion Celebration for the last two years. Cody will just be finishing his run of twenty shows in Servant Stage’s production of “I’ll Fly Away,” a stage production that featured Cody on both button and piano accordion. Many people will know Cody from his involvement at the annual American Accordionists Association festival and the Accordion Pops Orchestra
Joining Pivovar, Hayes, Bey and McSherry will be Jeff Dermes of Steelton, Pennsylvania. Jeff is the leader of the “Happy Slovenes” band, and is well-known through out the region.
The event will be held on Saturday, September 1, 2018 from 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM, and Sunday, September 2 from Noon to 3:00 PM at the St. Lawrence Club. The club is located at 13 Highland St, Steelton, Pennsylvania. The cost is $10 per person on Saturday, and $5 on Sunday. Food will be available on-site, with the kitchen opening 30 minutes prior to the opening of the event each day.
For the last half hour of each day button accordion players are invited to bring their instruments and take part in a grand jam!
For more information, contact the St. Lawrence Club at 717-939-4788 or visit the club’s Facebook site.
