Friendship of Tony Dannon and Vince Borsini
May 1st 2021
Joseph Recchia, Michigan Accordion Society President

A wonderful Memory sent to me by Vince Borsini back in the fall of 2012 and how this great story allowed his Business to sore and how we became friends through my Uncle Tony Dannon. You will be missed….RIP my dear friend Vince Borsini!
It was Autumn and the year was 1964 and the phone rings, Vincenzo Borsini answers and hears Tony Dannon’s Voice say.. “Vince, what the hell are you doing in Chicago? Come to Detroit, I have a job for you!”
This call came from Tony during a time when there was a great demand for Accordions in the US. Vince, recently in the USA from Castelfidardo Italy, alone in Downtown Chicago was forced to leave home and immigrated to the USA to find work as a musical instrument repairman at Montgomery Wards department store. Vince Borsini was very excited and could not wait for the weekend to take the Greyhound Bus to Detroit to meet Tony to learn about the job he has for him.
Upon arriving to Tony’s home, he immediately said, “OK Vince now let’s hurry up and wash our feet!” Vince looked at him amused and surprised! Tony with determination, continues, “Now we must go into the cellar and press the grapes to make new wine. Vince said, “Is this a joke?….Is this the job you have for me?” Tony promptly responded “stay calm Vince, tomorrow I will take you to Uncle Peppe”…..Vince says “Who is Uncle Peppe?” Tony says “Ollie Petrini, my business partner and treasurer of the Modern Accordion School in Dearborn, MI”.
The following day, Tony, Ollie and Vince have a meeting. Tony goes straight to the point. “Vince, you must go home immediately to your wife and your daughter, they are waiting for you, and by the way, here is an order for 214 accordions! Uncle Peppe will give you a big advance for the accordions, however, if you do not go straight home to the Borsini factory in Castelfidardo you will not get the order or the money.”
Vince home sick and knowing this is a great opportunity to once again revive his family’s accordion manufacturing business immediately accepts Tony’s offer. This was the beginning of a long and wonderful business relationship between Modern Accordion & Borsini Accordions and more importantly the start of wonderful friendship between Tony, Ollie and the Borsini family.
Almost every year after, Tony would go to Italy and before going to his hometown where he was born in VILLA LATINA, he would go to Castelfidardo, were he would not only give Borsisni another large accordion order but would first order the usual, tagliatelle and tortellini carefully made by hand at the famous Dionesso Resturaunta in Downtown Castelfidardo. Tony was always a welcomed guest and would often perform at the restaurant as well as the piazza and theater. Everywhere he went he was recognized as a big celebrity by all the residents in and around Castelfidardo.
Yes, there were some problems, as in all things in life, but the friendship between Tony and Vince transformed every little tragedy into a large Italian-American comedy and each year Tony would always depart the Borsini Factory leaving good humor and optimism for more business!
“I watched him like a younger brother” says Giancarlo Borsini, Vincenzo’s younger Brother, “Learning the value of True Friendship while enjoying the fundamental principles of life. Tony Dannon….he was a great master of the accordion and A Great Master of Life!”
By: Giancarlo & Vincenzo Borsini….October 2012
Owners of the great Borsini Accordion Factory, Castelfidardo, Italy
Photos:
Vince Borsini and Joe Recchia at the Borsini Accordion Factory
Modern Accordion made by Borsini Accordion Company
