Hoping someone plays Nancy Bea 'Happy Birthday'
The happiest of birthday wishes to Dodger Stadium’s Nancy Bea Hefley, last of a dying breed.
This would be the lady who plays the lovely organ music at home games, or at least as much as she’s still allowed, when steroid-induced speakers aren't blasting rock songs so loud it's a challenge to hear the guy behind you bellow, "Giants suck."
With her traditional baseball tunes and clever songbook, Hefley at one time was so frustrated by her diminished role she considered retiring. We're thankful that she apparently still finds enough joy in it to have signed a three-year contract in the offseason.
That will take her through 2012 and her 25th season with the Dodgers. She followed previous Dodgers organist great Helen Dell, the team organist for 18 years.
Any time Hefley plays is a monstrous improvement over some Guns N' Roses, Billy Idol or Metallica song that sounds just like it does at every other stadium and in any other sport.
At least her part-time playing still beats many ballparks that have completely eliminated the traditional music.
-- Steve Dilbeck
This would be the lady who plays the lovely organ music at home games, or at least as much as she’s still allowed, when steroid-induced speakers aren't blasting rock songs so loud it's a challenge to hear the guy behind you bellow, "Giants suck."
With her traditional baseball tunes and clever songbook, Hefley at one time was so frustrated by her diminished role she considered retiring. We're thankful that she apparently still finds enough joy in it to have signed a three-year contract in the offseason.
That will take her through 2012 and her 25th season with the Dodgers. She followed previous Dodgers organist great Helen Dell, the team organist for 18 years.
Any time Hefley plays is a monstrous improvement over some Guns N' Roses, Billy Idol or Metallica song that sounds just like it does at every other stadium and in any other sport.
At least her part-time playing still beats many ballparks that have completely eliminated the traditional music.
-- Steve Dilbeck
I totally agree....get rid of the stupid rap songs and other loud obnoxious music and let Nancy do her thing...its more of a baseball atmosphere.
Posted by: Steve | 02/24/2010 at 05:32 PM
Nancy Bea Rocks
Posted by: jill | 02/24/2010 at 06:26 PM
more nancy bea, less journey!
Posted by: johnnie b. baker | 02/24/2010 at 11:33 PM
I can't wait to hear the catchy tune Nancy Bea will bang out for when new Dodger pitcher Luis Ayala strolls in from the bullpen to save the day!
Posted by: Luis Ayala | 02/25/2010 at 01:22 AM
I agree. My wife and I have enjoyed her musical interludes since we started going to dates at Dodger Stadium 15 years ago.
My wife is much better at identifying tunes and it's always amusing when Nancy wryly plays a tune with a title that somehow relates to what is transpiring on the field.
Posted by: Fite Club | 02/25/2010 at 07:10 AM
"Last of a dying breed"? That's rather insensitvie, Steve Dilbeck... don't you think?
Posted by: Rokrik | 02/25/2010 at 11:13 AM
I would somehow play Happy B-day to Nancy B-she is a piece of all our childhoods when it comes to a day at the ballpark. My all-time favorite "player song" is "Master Of The House" from Les Miz for Orel Hershiser-so fitting and yet so comical if you've ever seen the musical! Best wishes to the Sound of the Dodgers!
Posted by: jtbwriter | 02/25/2010 at 12:53 PM
Happy Birthday, Nancy!
We love you. I have to say, it's getting harder to go to games, with the mind-numbing, soulless, generi-din that the stadium feeds us more and more on nights when Nancy doesn't play.
Maybe the Dodgers organization, with its infinite ability to repackage the same product and squeeze fans, could market a "Baseball classic" 15-game package for the 15 games where we're guaranteed honest-to-golly Nancy Bea organ music.
Posted by: blueeyedgal | 02/25/2010 at 02:17 PM
Yes, by all means, Happy Birthday to Nancy Bea Hefly.
There is nothing like organ music in a sports area. Whenever I hear her play, it brings back memories of Gladys Gooding and the old ballpark, Ebbets Field.
I have Nancy's CD, "Take me out to the ballgame".
Posted by: oldbrooklynfan | 02/25/2010 at 03:59 PM
Nancy is the back- bone of Dodgers in LA tradition !
I can't remember the first game that my parents took me to but I always remember me greeting my dad until he told me "Hey Let's go to Dodger Stadium & pick up some tickets & then grab dinner at Phillipe's" ! Or "Hey kid ! get ready I got dodger tickets"!!!
As I watched in awe of the massive stadium , listening to Nancy play her love all over the Ravine with someone always around listening to Mr. Scully over a near by transitor radio ....
Those little things are STILL the days !!!!! Thank you Ms. Hefley!!!!! &
Happy Birthday !!!!!
Lets NOT forget to thank Frank McCourt for realizing the tradition that has been in LosAngeles for so many decades & keeping them in tact for us Dodgers Lifers ! Go Blue!!!!!!
Posted by: Herman Baca II | 02/26/2010 at 03:42 AM
THEY NEED TO TURN OFF THAT LAME ROCK, HIP HOP BS AND LET NANCY B DO HER THANG. THE DODGERS HAVE HAD TWO OF THE BEST ORGANIST IN HELEN DELL AND NANCY B....UTILIZE THEM.
BY THE WAY, DOES ANYONE REMEMBER THE GREAT PA ANNOUNCER
MR JOHN RAMSEY? NOTICE HOW HE JUST ANNOUNCED THE NAMES AND DIDN'T NEED ALL THE CURLY CUES...GREAT BARITONE! YOU YUNGUNS SURE HAVE MISSED OUT....
BRETT SHEPHERD
DODGERS FAN IN ATLANTA
Posted by: BRETT SHEPHERD | 02/26/2010 at 07:01 AM