The world accordion to Merv Conn
by Sharon Choi
"Suppose I wanted to take you out tonight. I would say this to you," said Merv Conn, 87, jokingly.
| Photo: Tooky Bunnag |  | He is Silver Spring's very own 'Strolling Singing Accordionist.' Conn closed his eyes, tapped his foot and began to sway back and forth to the music of his accordion and voice as he performed "You Made Me Love You".
He was dressed in a dark pinstriped suit with a small golden accordion brooch resting on the chest of his red vest sweater the day I paid him a visit at his house and accordion school in Silver Spring, Md. I knew I was in for many laughs when Conn wouldn't let me in until I guessed the correct password, which was, appropriately: "accordion."
Conn first picked up his beloved instrument at the age of 14 in 1934, when he was a singer for a radio station program that aired every Sunday called the "Joe Brown Kiddies." He said he saw a man one day strolling and singing with an accordion and said to himself, "I would like to do that myself."
Playing the accordion is still the passion of Conn. He performs for the Kiwanis, the Masons and for his Central High School reunions. He also teaches hour-long lessons to about 10 to 11 students, which is a major cut from the 300 students he used to teach before with five other teachers at his school.
People today can't visualize how popular the accordion was in 1950! Today, the American public just doesn't take to the accordion," said Conn, grinning with a nostalgic look in his eyes.
Conn taught the daughters of former President Nixon, performed for former President Truman and his wife and even played for the Washington Senators "in between every inning."
As it was his birthday on Feb. 19, the AFI Silver Theatre in Silver Spring hosted a showing of "The Legend of Merv Conn," a 45-minute long documentary by filmmaker Jeff Krulik.
The documentary was basically Krulik following Conn around and asking him questions along the way. I watched the documentary before meeting Conn and was simply charmed by how comfortable this man was in his 87-year-old skin.
There was a segment in the documentary where Conn performed at a community fair. Krulik told him there was a tug-of-war going on and Conn told him it didn't matter and continued to sing and play for whoever was willing to listen.
The sold out show on Feb. 18 also included the performance of 23 accordion players who entertained the crowd, filmmaker George Merriken's visit to Glen Echo Amusement Park in 1940, a film of the last day of D.C. streetcars in 1962, birthday cake as well as the presentation of a proclamation by Montgomery County Executive Isaiah Leggett.
| Photo: Tooky Bunnag |  |
The county executive announced Feb. 18 "Merv Conn Day."
In response to my comment of how happy he was when "Merv Conn Day" was announced, Conn said, "You know what made me feel the best? When you get this old, you'll understand. My biggest thrill was to see "The Legend of Merv Conn" going around and around on that thing. What's it called?"
After a few minutes of trying to remember what the word was, we finally remembered it was the marquee. Conn said he stood outside just watching the electronic marquee with the title of his documentary.
"How many times can I have something like that? That's never happened to me before and it will never happen again," said Conn.
The show was so big that the theatre held another showing of the documentary the following Sunday.
Will Conn's passion for the accordion ever die? For a man who has been playing and enjoying the instrument for over 70 years, it is hard to say.
There is a youthful fire about him when he performs. His eyes and voice pour out emotions while his fingers nimbly run along the keys and buttons on his accordion.
Before he started playing "You Made Me Love You", he said to me, "To be a successful musician, you have to communicate what you feel. And the person who is listening to you, has to receive that communication or else they're not really listening to you. You listen to the words now."
Conn played a variety of different musical selections including "The Entertainer", "Old Man River" and at my request, a song by the Beatles.
"It is a thrill to make people happy," Conn said.
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