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MMD > Archives > August 1998 > 1998.08.20 > 06Prev  Next


Lyle Martin and Don Rand
By Chuck Sorensen

Don and Lyle...  It was good to see the names of these unique friends
in recent MMD issues.

Don got me interested in player pianos while we were in high school;
Burbank, California.  One of our adventures involved trips to Las Vegas
to rebuild mechanical instruments for the owner of a KENO manufacturing
and slot machine repair company.   This collector possessed a break-
down rifle fitted in a violin case, and paid us with crisp $100 bills.
Exposed slot machine mechanisms could be made to pay out on every pull,
to provide dimes to operate a Mills Violano-Virtuoso and soft drink
machine during the work days.

Years later, while playing rolls at a friend's house, one fantastic
roll arranged by Ray Deyo with a business card in the box led me to
Lyle.  His PianoRecord RX-9 project converted selected Link Automatic
Piano endless playing music rolls to a format usable by standard 88
note players.  Lyle also produced  desirable rolls containing other
types of music.

Lyle is accomplished in many different fields; as already mentioned,
his recordings of instruments and narratives are real treasures.  Don
drew "Miss Piano Legs" which adorns Lyle's RX-9 roll boxes.

  Lyle Martin
  610 East Pine   # 101
  Lompoc, California    93436

Take Care -

Chuck Sorensen

 [ Chuck, the tape recordings of the RX-9 project which I heard
 [ sounded very much like a Link piano, but they seemed to have more
 [ expression.  Did Lyle Martin create a special expression/reproducer
 [ system for this set of rolls?  Who is Ray Deyo?  That's another
 [ familiar name!  -- Robbie


(Message sent Thu 20 Aug 1998, 22:06:00 GMT, from time zone GMT-0700.)

Key Words in Subject:  Don, Lyle, Martin, Rand

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