ACCORDION BAD BOY COMES TO TOWN

Ladies, prepare yourselves: DICK CONTINO IS COMING TO TOWN.
Who?
Dick Contino — probably the only other accordion player besides “Weird Al” to have groupies.

But Contino’s no jokester. One sexy-cool cat back the day, the tan, fit 78-year-old Contino continues to be a CULT FAVORITE for his blazing, brilliant accordion playing, B-movie roles and legendary bad-boy ways.
On Youtube, one video simply features a turntable playing one of Contino’s records:
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Other videos are clips from “Daddy-O,” the 1958 B-movie starring Contino that was spoofed by Comedy Central’s “Mystery Science Theater 3000.” (For some, getting the “MST3K” treatment solidifies your place in pop culture history.)

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And for the past several years, local apple farmer Tom Deiro has brought Contino — who lives in Las Vegas where he’s also a spiritual healer — to Yakima to play a concert. It’s a wedding anniversary present Deiro gives his wife, Bea. This year they celebrate their 26th anniversary.

“He was like an idol when I was a kid,” says Deiro who was 11 when he first saw Contino play a concert in Yakima.
“And if you’re lucky,” adds Deiro, now 64, “eventually you get to meet your idol, and find out he’s a nice guy, and you become friends.”

Known for his renditions of “Lady of Spain,” “Granada and “Tico Tico,” Deiro considers Contino the greatest accordion player in history.

“He’s fascinating to students,” says Deiro, who used to play the accordion. “He’s the one every one tries to copy but can’t.”

Contino plays this Sunday (April 20) at West Valley Junior High School auditorium, 7505 Zier Road. The concert starts at 2:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Advance tickets are available at Taylor Music, 725 W. Yakima Ave., 453-7194. For more information, call Tom Deiro at 966-1938.

*Kim Nowacki*