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The Daily Collegian
Monday, October 9, 1989
Page 3
PIANO
Continued from page l
He doesn't often get an answer
because people are too busy staring at
his piano.
Thais right, his piano.
Timothy. 45, rolls through the
fairgrounds five times a day with his
one-man act, "John Timothy and Ihe
Bicycle PianoV The name says it all.
even though his "bicycle" looks more
like a gigantic tricycle facing
backwards.
Perched upon the two front wheels
is a 68-key piano bolted to a tubular
steel frame. The third wheel belongs
to a unicycle that serves as a driver's
seat and piano bench for Timothy.
and the whole affair is covered by a
large, white umbrella.
"I've played piano since 1 was a
little kid," he said, while threading
the odd-looking contraption through
the midway masses. "I play a lot of
ragtime. Dixieland. tum-of-lhe-
century stuff; Just upbeat happy stuff."
He launched into a comic, off-key
version of 'Yankee Doodle Dandy,"
drawing smiles and looks of disbelief
from the falrgoers passing by. The
smiles weren't just for his singing
though. Dressed in teal gabardine
slacks. blue-striped shirt,
watermelon silk vest and a Panama
straw hat adorned with red ribbon.
Timothy's appearance carried a lot
farther than the sound of his music.
The custom-made costume makes
him look like "a plantation owner's
slightly effeminate son," Timothy
said, and he wasn't far off the mark.
The apparel also has a practical side:
his pants are three inches too long so
his socks wont show while he's
pedaling.
In fact, everything in his act had to
be specially made, even the umbrella.
"You can't go to Sears and buy one
of these things," he said.
Timothy may seem slightly
strange, but he's no stranger to the
Fresno area. Born in Visalia,
Timothy spent his early life in Selma
and his family later moved to
Stockton.
"I'm a valley boy," he said.
Timothy eventually wound up in
San Francisco as a street musician.
/ was destined
to be in show
business
-John Timothy
playing such venues as Fisherman's
Wharf and Union Square. "I had an
upright piano In the back of my Ford
Falcon Ranchero," Wsaid.
He spent 13 years In San Francisco
before leaving.
"The scene got old." said Timothy.
The money started out real good, but
then the cost of living went up and the
money didn't "
He startednis bicycle act just two
years ago. but the act itself dates back
to the 1920s.
"It's an old vaudeville act I'm
reviving," he said, which was first
performed by Ed Wynn in the 1920s.
Unlike many other fair performers,
Timothy didn't take a stage name to
help sell his act. He didn't have to.
"(John Timothy) Is my real name -
I was destined to be in show business,"
he said. "All the great musicians have
two first names: Ray Charles. Elton
John...."
He makes a comfortable living
during the nine-month fair season,
traveling the entire length of the
state. He has performed in fairs as far
north as Tule Lake and as far south as
El Centro. \
"I have a ball." said Timothy, who
is single. "I like fairs, 1 like traveling.
I don't have a family to support, so I
don't have to worry about that"
During the off-season, he is
planning to use parts of his act to
develop a bicycle safety show for
elementary schoolchildren. But for
now. he pedals along the midway,
sharing his offbeat style of music
with all who care to listen.
And he even has a little advice for
CSUF students/
"Stay in college," he said with a
smile, "otherwise, you'll have to do
something like this."
David Teller'Daily Collegi;
John Timothy, bicycle piano man at the Fresno Fair, said Sunday Is the hardest dav to get people to laueh
because they are usually worried about getting back to work Monday.
THE DEATH PENALTY
IT'S NOT A PUNISHMENT
IT'S A CRIME
V
It's a crime:
■ When only the poor are executed.
■ When the race ol the victim and thi. accused predicts
ihe sentence.
■ When innoceni people are slill sentenced to death.
■ When the menially retarded arc executed.
The death penalty does not protect us-instead.
it promotes violent crimes. An execution costs six times
more tharta lite sentence. The death penalty does nothing
c/
A--
lo addruss those most in need-victims' families.
When the state kills, it makes each of us a killer.
That's why. from October 13 to 22 we w ill march from Sac¬
ramento to San Quentin to protest killing hy the stale. If
you believe that killing is not the way to show that killing
is wrong, join us.
PttTlt-MIH HIM
Yes, 1 will oppose the resumption of executions in California
in the following ways;
□ I pledge to march: G part of a day i_J one day or more
□ I pledge to attend the rally in: □ San Francisco (Oc.i. 211
□ San Quentin (Oct. 22)
□ 1 will consider pledging to walk but need more information.
□ I am willing to gather petition signatures. Please send me a
petition form.
IT! I will support ihe March with a tax-deductible contribution of
$ Checks payable to Death Penalty Focus March Fund.
.
City/State
Telephone/ Day (.
Zip
Evening _
Tl: Ml PHUT
p.i. mi
Object Description
| Title | 1989_10 The Daily Collegian October 1989 |
| Alternative Title | Daily Collegian (California State University, Fresno) |
| Publisher | Associated Students of Fresno State, Fresno, Calif. |
| Publication Date | 1989 |
| Description | Daily (except weedends) during the school year. Microfilm. Palo Alto, Calif.: BMI Library Microfilms, 1986- microfilm reels; 35 mm. Vol.1, no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- |
| Subject | California State University, Fresno -- Periodicals. |
| Contributors | Associated Students of Fresno State. |
| Coverage | Vol.1 no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- to present |
| Format | Microfilm reels, 35 mm. |
| Technical Information | Scanned at 600 dpi; TIFF; Microfilm ScanPro 2000 "E-image data" |
| Language | eng |
Description
| Title | October 9, 1989, Page 3 |
| Alternative Title | Daily Collegian (California State University, Fresno) |
| Publisher | Associated Students of Fresno State, Fresno, Calif. |
| Publication Date | 1989 |
| Description | Daily (except weedends) during the school year. Microfilm. Palo Alto, Calif.: BMI Library Microfilms, 1986- microfilm reels; 35 mm. Vol.1, no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- |
| Subject | California State University, Fresno -- Periodicals. |
| Contributors | Associated Students of Fresno State. |
| Coverage | Vol.1 no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- to present |
| Format | Microfilm reels, 35 mm. |
| Technical Information | Scanned at 600 dpi; TIFF; Microfilm ScanPro 2000 "E-image data" |
| Language | eng |
| Full-Text-Search | The Daily Collegian Monday, October 9, 1989 Page 3 PIANO Continued from page l He doesn't often get an answer because people are too busy staring at his piano. Thais right, his piano. Timothy. 45, rolls through the fairgrounds five times a day with his one-man act, "John Timothy and Ihe Bicycle PianoV The name says it all. even though his "bicycle" looks more like a gigantic tricycle facing backwards. Perched upon the two front wheels is a 68-key piano bolted to a tubular steel frame. The third wheel belongs to a unicycle that serves as a driver's seat and piano bench for Timothy. and the whole affair is covered by a large, white umbrella. "I've played piano since 1 was a little kid," he said, while threading the odd-looking contraption through the midway masses. "I play a lot of ragtime. Dixieland. tum-of-lhe- century stuff; Just upbeat happy stuff." He launched into a comic, off-key version of 'Yankee Doodle Dandy," drawing smiles and looks of disbelief from the falrgoers passing by. The smiles weren't just for his singing though. Dressed in teal gabardine slacks. blue-striped shirt, watermelon silk vest and a Panama straw hat adorned with red ribbon. Timothy's appearance carried a lot farther than the sound of his music. The custom-made costume makes him look like "a plantation owner's slightly effeminate son," Timothy said, and he wasn't far off the mark. The apparel also has a practical side: his pants are three inches too long so his socks wont show while he's pedaling. In fact, everything in his act had to be specially made, even the umbrella. "You can't go to Sears and buy one of these things," he said. Timothy may seem slightly strange, but he's no stranger to the Fresno area. Born in Visalia, Timothy spent his early life in Selma and his family later moved to Stockton. "I'm a valley boy," he said. Timothy eventually wound up in San Francisco as a street musician. / was destined to be in show business -John Timothy playing such venues as Fisherman's Wharf and Union Square. "I had an upright piano In the back of my Ford Falcon Ranchero," Wsaid. He spent 13 years In San Francisco before leaving. "The scene got old." said Timothy. The money started out real good, but then the cost of living went up and the money didn't " He startednis bicycle act just two years ago. but the act itself dates back to the 1920s. "It's an old vaudeville act I'm reviving," he said, which was first performed by Ed Wynn in the 1920s. Unlike many other fair performers, Timothy didn't take a stage name to help sell his act. He didn't have to. "(John Timothy) Is my real name - I was destined to be in show business," he said. "All the great musicians have two first names: Ray Charles. Elton John...." He makes a comfortable living during the nine-month fair season, traveling the entire length of the state. He has performed in fairs as far north as Tule Lake and as far south as El Centro. \ "I have a ball." said Timothy, who is single. "I like fairs, 1 like traveling. I don't have a family to support, so I don't have to worry about that" During the off-season, he is planning to use parts of his act to develop a bicycle safety show for elementary schoolchildren. But for now. he pedals along the midway, sharing his offbeat style of music with all who care to listen. And he even has a little advice for CSUF students/ "Stay in college," he said with a smile, "otherwise, you'll have to do something like this." David Teller'Daily Collegi; John Timothy, bicycle piano man at the Fresno Fair, said Sunday Is the hardest dav to get people to laueh because they are usually worried about getting back to work Monday. THE DEATH PENALTY IT'S NOT A PUNISHMENT IT'S A CRIME V It's a crime: ■ When only the poor are executed. ■ When the race ol the victim and thi. accused predicts ihe sentence. ■ When innoceni people are slill sentenced to death. ■ When the menially retarded arc executed. The death penalty does not protect us-instead. it promotes violent crimes. An execution costs six times more tharta lite sentence. The death penalty does nothing c/ A-- lo addruss those most in need-victims' families. When the state kills, it makes each of us a killer. That's why. from October 13 to 22 we w ill march from Sac¬ ramento to San Quentin to protest killing hy the stale. If you believe that killing is not the way to show that killing is wrong, join us. PttTlt-MIH HIM Yes, 1 will oppose the resumption of executions in California in the following ways; □ I pledge to march: G part of a day i_J one day or more □ I pledge to attend the rally in: □ San Francisco (Oc.i. 211 □ San Quentin (Oct. 22) □ 1 will consider pledging to walk but need more information. □ I am willing to gather petition signatures. Please send me a petition form. IT! I will support ihe March with a tax-deductible contribution of $ Checks payable to Death Penalty Focus March Fund. . City/State Telephone/ Day (. Zip Evening _ Tl: Ml PHUT p.i. mi |
