San Antonio Symphony News and Archive

Goin' back to the hop




Ware's symphony benefit a blast from the past




By Jim Beal Jr.

from the San Antonio Express News Weekender 5/15/98



Ricci Ware isn't trading his radio talk-show microphone for a symphony conductor's baton, but he's wading into the San Antonio Symphony whirl nonetheless.

From 8-11 tonight at the Greater San Antonio Builders Association, Ware, a disc jockey from the golden age of rock'n'roll, will get back to his roots by staging a record hop to benefit the financially strapped symphony. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door.

"Everybody was talking about how the symphony was unable to pay salaries," Ware said. "Somebody brought up how the city is always paying for the symphony. Trey (Ware's son and on-air partner on a KTSA afternoon talk show) and I are against that."

Consequently, the Wares went on KTSA and talked about alternate ways to finance the orchestra.

"I said, on the air, there ought to be a way to raise money to keep the symphony going. I said, kind of tongue-in-cheek, we ought to do some record hops," Ware said.

Tongue-in-cheek turned into reality.

"I used to do five or six record hops a week, but I haven't done one in years. I got together with the people at the symphony and we all agreed to do this. I don't know whether it will draw five people or 5,000 people, but we're going to give it a shot," he said.

Yes, Ware is a fan of the symphony.

"I've always enjoyed all kinds of music, including symphonic music," he said. "Everybody thinks what the symphony does is highbrow and elitist. They do some highbrow music, but they do some fun stuff that anybody can enjoy. Hopefully this record hop will work. Hopefully it will inspire some other kinds of fund-raisers."

Ware promises fun at tonight's record hop.

"We're going to do the potato dance, the broom dance, the girls' tag dance, all of the old things," he said. "Folks can dress casual. They can wear their clothes from the '50s and '60s - if they still fit- and dance to some tunes they haven't heard in years."



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