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Saturday, May 04, 2002

By Nate Guidry, Post-Gazette Staff Writer

Marty Faloon, a jazz guitarist and retired letter carrier who was awarded a Bronze Star during World War II, died of complications from pneumonia at Mercy Hospital Wednesday. He was 80.

Mr. Faloon grew up in Homewood and began playing guitar at 15, rubbing musical shoulders often with pianists Erroll Garner and Michael "Dodo" Marmarosa.

He attended Westinghouse High School and was member of Carl McVicker's famed music program that produced artists as diverse as Billy Strayhorn, Jimmy Pupa and Ahmad Jamal.

After high school, he toured the country with Don Bester's Orchestra, backing up the Three Stooges and comic actress Martha Raye. Mr. Faloon would always tease Raye because her mother toured with her and they looked nearly identical as she grew older.

After about a year, Mr. Faloon was drafted in the Army, initially as a trombonist in the Army Air Forces band. Later, he was assigned to B company, 253rd Infantry Regiment, where he served as a sergeant and a rifleman. He was awarded a Combat Infantry Badge, Bronze Star and European Battle Star. Mr. Faloon's brother, Bill, was killed in Italy during a battle.

Still in Europe after the war, Mr. Faloon and guitarist Charlie Byrd met the Belgium gypsy guitarist Django Rheinhardt. The two guitarists created their version of "Carmen," an operatic farce designed to entertain the troops. The two guitarists remained friends until Mr. Byrd's death in 1999.

Later, when Mr. Byrd, regarded as the father of nylon string guitar, would perform in Pittsburgh at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, he would sleep at Faloon's Beechview home.

"We would all have a great laugh because Charlie would sleep in our daughter's canopy bed," said Mr. Faloon's wife, Patricia. "The bed was so feminine, but he was comfortable being with us."

After his discharge, Mr. Faloon returned to Pittsburgh and performed in various back-up bands for artists such as Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, when the two were still a team, and Pearl Bailey.

In 1950, he joined the Bill Bickel Trio, which performed regularly at Johnny Laughlin's Shamrock Room. During a performance at the Dogue Terrace in McKeesport, Mr. Faloon got to meet Duke Ellington, whose band was in town for a weeklong engagement.

"We were so impressed with Duke's graciousness," said Patricia Faloon. "So many stars were snooty, but Duke was extremely polite."

Later that year, Mr. Faloon married Patricia, who was a vocalist in a band.

In 1951, Mr. Faloon performed with Bobby Cardillo and Johnny Vance on "The Gimbel's Shoppers Review," a daytime variety show for DuMont Television, a forerunner to KDKA, which launched commercial TV in 1949. In the mid-1950s, Mr. Faloon joined the post office as a mail carrier but continued to play music. He retired from the post office in 1983.

For the next few years, Mr. Faloon and Patricia worked together as "Patti and Marty," a duet performing at senior events and industrial shows.

"He taught me the chords and how to accompany myself," said Patricia Faloon. "It has come in handy."

In addition to his wife, Mr. Faloon is survived by a son, William of Hollywood, Fla.; a daughter, Lisa Faloon of Verona; a sister, Ethel Marasco of Wilkinsburg; and two grandsons.

The family will hold a memorial service tomorrow at 2 p.m. at William Slater II Funeral Home, 1650 Greentree Road, Scott.

The Bobby Rawsthorne Trio will perform during the service.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Steve Faloon Memorial Fund at Children's Hospital, which honors the Faloons' late son, Steve.