The Tony Bonz Memorial Jam
Photo courtesy of “The Tony Bonz Memorial Jam” Facebook page
By Sean McCall
Saturday, May 14, 2016, the Pine Grove Fire Hall in Gloucester City, New Jersey, held the celebration of the spirit of Anthony Corrao aka “Tony Bonz.” A night of music to celebrate a brother, friend, and family member would be the only way Tony would want it.
"Tony Bones was a local musician for more than 45 years. He started playing drums since the age of 12 and was a member of many local bands in the South Jersey area such as Chalice, Changing Winds, Mad Laughter, Kneecap Brothers, Mythology Bullfinch and most recently Psychedelic Elders. Tony enjoyed camping and being with his family. Over the years he has been a Mentor to both his son, Mike Corrao, and many up and coming musicians. He was very good at working with his hands and could fix anything. He will be missed by all he came in contact with."
For this show, family members filled in for Tony for the several bands he was involved in. His son, Mike Corrao, filled in for the Psychedelic Elders, while Tony’s nephew, Josh Dorso, filled in for Mad Laughter. The Corrao family is a very talented and genuine group of people that are also very welcoming. Although this show was a memorial, they did not fail to make sure everybody was having a good time in a good-energy environment.
The Corrao family has also started a GoFundMe page to help support their family after their loss. Any donation, or even a share, will help!
To donate: https://www.gofundme.com/22f8yqs
Many of us know Tony’s Son, Mike Corrao, from his huge involvement in the local music scene. Mike plays in a number of bands, such as Breaking Tradition, Downer, Vacate, and used to play for a band called Tight Lungs. Tight Lungs broke up within the last year or so, however, they will be reuniting along with another lost hometown hero band, Bright and Early, on May 27. The show on the 27th will be another benefit show to help pay for costs of Tony’s passing and assist the Corrao family in their time of need. The show consists of Reward, Breaking Tradition, Tight Lungs, and Bright and Early, and will be held at Ovations Dance Studio in Oaklyn, NJ (upstairs of Studio Luloo to accommodate the amount of people attending). The address is 215 W Clinton Ave, Oaklyn, NJ, and the show starts at 6pm.
Click the flier below to be linked to the Facebook event to confirm you’re attending and supporting a good cause with a great time.
About the Writer
Sean McCall is a Music Business Technology Major studying at Rowan University with a Minor in Theatre. He has been attending shows and events since he was in middle school and has had his own band he’s been involved in for about 7 years called Breaking Tradition. He has been actively involved in the music scene since he was young and holds an overall passion for all types of music. He has an ear for music and tries to pick up as many instruments as he can. Sean has sung in multiple competitive honor choirs throughout the country, ranging from All-State Honor Choir to as far as All-National Honor Choir, and plans to take off in the Music Industry in as many ways possible. Sean also recently helped book a show in Glassboro with his friends, Alex LaVallee and Alex Bradley, and plans to book many more independent shows in the near future. With a passion for music, bands, and the overall scene, he is adding music journalism to his resumé to contribute even further into this talented area we call home.