Hi, Ray, I just saw the vividly striking image you provided of an
Ampico roll produced by Malone's Music Co., when your MMD email
arrived today for posting.

https://www.mmdigest.com/Attachments/20/08/04/200804_041206_Malone's_Music_Co.jpg
 

I would be very interested in knowing more about this side of
John Malone's roll-production activity because "Malone's Music Co."
is a new one to me.  Do you know when the roll was made?

I am very familiar with John's company, Play-Rite Music Rolls, Inc,
which has been in operation for many years in a small shop on the
Malone family's N. Palm Street property in Turlock.  John is still
producing band organ rolls and other specialty rolls there today,
even after the passing of Jeanne Malone, John's mother, who was the
main cog in the Play-Rite machine until her death in 2005.

I already knew of John's larger Play-Rite plant at 401 S. Broadway
in Turlock, which produced 88-note player piano rolls up until it
was destroyed by fire on February 2, 1997, and put out of business
by the loss of irreplaceable machinery such as the word-stenciller
used to print lyrics on player piano word-rolls.

But the Ampico roll that your photo shows is a totally new aspect
to John Malone's work.  John does have a long 60-year history of
involvement in mechanical music, a note-worthy career which will
be detailed and celebrated in one or more AMICA Bulletins in 2021.

Matthew Caulfield
Irondequoit, New York