To help fans cherish the memory of one of Hoboken’s most popular musicians, Don Brody Hall opened its doors to the public last month at a school in Ohio.
Brody, a former member of folk duo The Marys and new wave group Crying Out Loud, died on Dec. 27, 1997 of a heart attack. The hall was named after Brody to honor the artistic legacy he left behind in Hoboken and in his hometown of Mansfield, Ohio, where the hall is located.
Don Brody Hall is part of the Richland Academy of Performing Arts. Brody’s family donated the necessary funds to the academy to name the new hall after him. About 60 people attended an evening dinner affair at the academy on Aug. 18, which was hosted by Brody’s family and included a ballet performance by two of the academy’s students, and a music performance by two of its teachers.
"Some close family members spoke. It was a nice ceremony," said Brody’s widow, Cheryl Welch, in an interview last week. "The dedication event was a grand success and a fitting memorial to Don’s life and love of the arts."
Inside the hall are a stage and an area where Brody’s music can be heard while photos and memorabilia are on display. The hall will be used for hosting a variety of performances by students of the school and local artists.
"[Brody] would have never thought he would have a hall named after him," Welch said, smiling.
Music in Hoboken
For almost two decades, Brody made his mark on the Hoboken music scene. He was the leader of the Hoboken folk duo, The Marys. After his sudden death of a heart attack at the age of 44, many of the musicians Brody had met throughout the years gathered to perform benefit concerts in his name in New York City and Hoboken.
During his time Brody had performed at many benefit shows. And while with The Marys, his warm, dramatic, romantic and topical songs won him a following in North Jersey and New York City.
During the Marys’ seven years together, they independently released two albums: 1992s "Your Friends the Marys" and 1997s "Back This Way." Although they weren’t signed to a major label, they did achieve a loyal fan base on the club and coffeehouse circuit. They performed on the nationally syndicated radio program "Mountain Stage" and were included in the folk compilation "Songs of the Garden State."
According to Welch, Brody may have been more grateful than most musicians for the degree of success he reached because of the obstacles he overcame to lead a normal and healthy life. Brody, who walked with a slight limp as an adult, had polio when he was a youngster and spent the majority of summers as a child at hospitals to have surgery.
Several years later, Brody formed the new-wave rock band Crying Out Loud in Columbus, Ohio. And in 1982, the band moved to Hoboken. There, Brody had an instant impact on the city’s music scene, influencing bands like The Bongos and The Gefkens, according to Welch.
"He was a humble guy. His legacy is of an amazing person, with a great sense of humor and a positive attitude," Welch said. "He promoted everybody in the music scene."
Welch met Brody in 1989. During that time Brody’s music was in transition from rock toward more reflective, folkish songwriting, and he was beginning to collaborate with Ann Walsh, the original female singer of The Marys. Connie Sharar eventually replaced Walsh in the group.
Welch and Brody married in 1994. The couple eventually moved to Weehawken to raise their two kids.
Richland Academy is located on 75 N. Walnut St. in Mansfield, Ohio. The telephone number to find out more information about Don Brody Hall is (419) 522-8224. Or visit them on the web at www.nicits.com/ra.