As written by longtime friend: Ralph Hastings ’70

Central New York’s “Premiere Piano Man” possesses a legacy that extends beyond his reputation as a superb pianist, entertainer, engaging storyteller with spontaneous style, and influential educator. Phil Klein’s story is a narrative of a multi-faceted musician, bandleader, songwriter, lyricist, humorist, vocalist and friend.

Klein ’51, began his professional musical career playing the piano in clubs in the Potsdam area and Lake George, NY, during summer breaks. Upon graduating from Potsdam, he began his career as a public school music teacher with a three-year position in the Lake George Central School, followed by a year at Ithaca College (earning an M.S. degree) and an eight-year tenure at Skaneateles Central Schools.

In 1963, at the newly established Onondaga Community College, he co-founded the music program and taught keyboard harmony, sight reading and theory. His tenure at Onondaga spanned 22 years, during which he composed the school’s alma mater, still sung today.

Augmenting his musical experiences, Klein had long-standing gigs and regular performances throughout the Syracuse, NY, area. He played for countless weddings, social occasions, staged hundreds of one-person shows and sat in as a regular guest on a popular radio program during which he provided background comments and anecdotes about the songs.

Klein onstage has inevitably meant audience involvement – through singing, repartee, questions and much laughter – generated by a rich store of anecdotes relating to the songs, composers and lyricists. The best part is that he is still at it!

Highlighting Klein’s career has been his collaboration with Syracuse native Maria DeAngelis – vocalist, lyricist, entertainer and producer. She and Klein have written more than 100 songs, some of them having found their way to becoming background music in films and network soap operas including “The Young and the Restless.” DeAngelis has professionally produced four albums that feature her singing songs that she and Klein have written. Together with her husband Pierre Frison, she also wrote French lyrics for several of Klein’s compositions.

Klein has independently produced six CDs (available online,) composed music for casinos, state fairs and political campaigns. Two of his songs, “Storytown, USA” and “Happiness is Children” were written especially for the original Storytown, USA, now known as The Great Escape in Lake George, NY.

Klein has received many awards throughout the course of his career. In 2001, he was inducted into the Syracuse Area Musicians’ Hall of Fame (SAMMYS Award.) And just this summer during Potsdam’s Reunion Weekend, Klein was presented the prestigious Helen M. Hosmer Excellence in Music Teaching Award in recognition of outstanding professional achievement in the teaching of music.

When asked what advice he might offer to Crane students and alumni, he said, “If you’re going to be a musician, make multiple plans. By all means, be a performer if possible but don’t neglect the wonderful world of music teaching, through which you may experience the wonder of positively influencing younger people and, yes, make a comfortable living for you and your family!”