My Fox Band Organ Plays Playrite Roll 2500 "Seventy Six Trombones"

This organ is attributed to have been built by the Fox Music Company in Kansas City, MO around the early1920’s. The stack, spool box and drive are identical to those used in the rare Fox Pianotainer coin piano. The roll guides are similar to those used on North Tonawanda coin pianos. As far as I know, this is the only surviving example of a Fox band organ, possibly an early prototype. Ron Bopp’s American Carousel Organ book has a photo of this exact organ on page Xii. This organ was originally placed at Wilson Famous Shows, a small traveling carnival from Astoria, IL. The organ still has a carousel start bell mounted on the case side. Wilson Shows operated a two-abreast Spillman Carousel. The organ was traded to Don Stinson who eventually sold it to Frank Rider who restored it around the late 1970’s. Frank Rider brought this organ to several Ohio and Indiana band rallies throughout the 1980’s. The roll it is playing is Playrite Roll 2500. This is the same roll that the 1914 Cremona plays at House on the Rock. The song it is playing is "Seventy Six Trombones" in the same arrangement heard on that instrument at House on the Rock!