Rod Miller at Disneyland's Coke Corner (Part 1)
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- Опубликовано: 7 сен 2024
- Legendary ragtime / honky-tonk style pianist Rod Miller performs in his prime at Disneyland's famed Coke Corner on Main Street. While there are many videos of Rod already on RUclips, he recently gave me this complete two-DVD set which was filmed February 6, 1993 in honor of his parents' anniversary (which is mentioned several times in the video). I think the entire video is worth posting to give today's listeners a sample of what fun it was to hang around the piano with Rod! He has been retired now for about fifteen years but is doing well and can still play up a storm.
There will never be another Rod Miller. Ever. This guy was perfection. Whenever he was playing, we stopped and listened until he was done playing.
I too loved watching Rod and I also play ragtime. One night, he invited me to play a few songs on the piano at Coca Cola Corner and as I did, a piano string broke... he grabbed the string and when I was done playing, he gave me the string and said. "Here's your G string" and laughed. It really was the G string that broke lol. I have that G string to this day.
I asked Bing A.I. about Rod Miller and got this reply (Aug. 26, 2023): Rod Miller was the Main Street Ragtime Pianist at Disneyland from 1969 to 2005. He entertained millions of guests with his magical high-speed tickling of the ivories. He started his career as the Main Street Ragtime Pianist in 1969 and retired in 2005. Rod Miller was born on January 16, 1940, in Portland, Oregon. As of my search results, he is still alive.
Rod Miller, the Main Street Ragtime Pianist at Disneyland, learned to play the piano by slowing down the piano rolls and rehearsing two or three measures at a time until he mastered the music. He practiced two to six hours a day and it took him three months to learn his first piece, "I Can’t Give You Anything But Love". Rod Miller doesn't read sheet music but instead plays by ear (although using his fingers is easier). He developed a unique style that was part Jo Anne Castle and part Liberace.
According to my search results, Rod Miller has recorded LP records, including one in the 70s, a very popular CD "Rod Miller Ragtime" recorded in 1995, and an absolutely out of the world CD of "Four-Hand Piano" in 1999 (hard to find unfortunately). He also has a few songs on various Disney Theme Park Soundtracks ¹.
I could not find any information on how many tunes he could play or whether he wrote music.
I hope that helps! Source: Conversation with Bing, 8/26/2023
I had so much fun over the years hanging at Coke corner listening to Rod play his piano and talk! I first met him in 1979 when I worked at Disneyland during Christmas and saw him all the way until he retired. I think he meet every girlfriend I ever had (along with many of my friends) whenever I was at the park. Great memories.
What a treasure! My most special memory of Disneyland was spending the entire afternoon with Rod one day, talking, singing, and listening to him tickle those ivories like no one else can. He has brought so much joy to so many. Thank you, Rod! 🤗❤
I grew up listening to Rod. Got an annual pass every year for Christmas and was there almost weekly. My Grandpa would take us and sit at the Coke Corner ALL DAY with Rod while us kids ran around the park. We would pop in about 3 times a day to check in with Grandpa, listen to the piano and eat. Some of the best times of my life.
Used to sit fir hours listening to him.
Thanks Adam for uploading this wonderful video, I'm big a fan of ragtime music & you & Rod of course, I hail from the UK 🌈🌄
As a kid I remember Rod at Shakey's Pizza, in Arcadia....then at Clerman's Village at the North Woods Inn...then he disappeared! About two years later the parents took me to Disneyland and there he was at Coke Corner!! When ever we visited Disneyland I always looked for Rod....
Thanks for posting this!
Outstanding entertainment, Adam, thanks for sharing!
Hi Rod! Nice video, I use to work an Carnation Main Street, Bobby Bruner and I would come to see you play, hope your still playing piano.
Reminds me of a great pianist we had here in UK in 60s called Russ Conway. Also loved the 'nod' to Chico Marx with the gun finger too. :)
I've only seen him blast through Maple Leaf Rag before, at like 200 bpm or something, I didn't know he also played jazz xD
Thank you for sharing news about Rod and all that nice music footage of his outstanding work!
Thank you so very much for sharing this, Adam! Rod Miller is an inspiration to me and I just love his spirit and energy!
It is my understanding that Rudy de la Mor was the first Ragtime Pianist at Disneyland, personally hired by Walt Disney.
Beautiful !
I sincerely hope he is well paid.
DouglasUrantia he retired in 2005 but I’ve met him several times and had fairly long conversations with him and he wasn’t a very materialistic person. He just loved entertaining people, especially kids and he said he played all those ragtime songs over and over and slowly got faster. He worked that location for 30 years and I never saw him have an “off” day in the dozens of times I saw him perform.
Eric i remember him telling a story about him choosing between this job and another one, and convinced them to pay X so he could work there.
WOW!! Beyond Wonderful!!!
Thank you so much for sharing this.
Brings back memories. He told me this hilarious story once about eating his lunch on stage at the Coca Cola refreshment corner (a big no-no). He was sitting eating one day and one of the managers came up and asked him "Who gave you permission to eat on stage." Rod's reply "Walt did!" They never bugged him again. The funny thing, Rod started at Disneyland 4 years after Walt had died.
He also was the fairy godmother to all of us gay castmembers. He even introduced me to a parade castmember who I dated one summer in 1992. I wonder what happened to Lonnie.
Also, after watching parts of this video, these were the regulars, pass holders, who pretty much spent their entire evening sitting talking to Rod. They all knew each other, even did things like having potlucks every once in a while -- at Disneyland. I wouldn't say I was a regular, but I did hang out there a ton.
LOVE your story!
If it's the same Lonnie W., I'm connected to him on LinkedIn.
Yes! We have no bananas!!!
Anyone know the very first song he plays in this video? Thanks
“It Had To Be You” gotchu bro
Thats my guy! ROD MILLER set the bar, Showbiz as usaul...ROD IS THE BAR ! Such a entertainer, had the biggest following at Disneyland "EVER" !
-L. E. G. E N. D -
Almost everyone in this video is dead. :(