Longtime Calgary Flames organist Willy Joosen passes away
The Flames lost their longtime organist Friday, when Willy Joosen died.
The organization extended its condolences on social media, saying, "For 34 years, organist Willy Joosen brought so much joy and happiness to everyone who came to #Flames games. He was an incredibly kind soul who uplifted everyone around him. Our deepest condolences go out to his family and friends. Rest in Peace, Willy."
In a 2019 interview with CTV News, Joosen spoke to reporter Jordan Kanygin about his first night as the Flames' organist, on Oct. 17, 1988.
"That was (Wayne) Gretzky here as a Los Angeles King for the very first time and we pancaked them. It was 11-4," he recalled.
Joosen didn't have to manufacture his enthusiasm for the game. He was a passionate Flames' fan, who kept an audio recording of Peter Maher's call of the Stanley Cup winning game in 1989, which he played in the car over and over again.
"You gotta have heart in the game," he said to Kanygin. "It’s this roaring privilege to be like ‘Are you kidding? I get to sit here and watch that?’"
While the production of pro sports has evolved over the years to include a litany of recorded music, video, lights and special effects, the organ has been the soundtrack - and the backbeat - of the hockey arena and Joosen was Calgary's conductor for more than three decades.
"He’s kind of like a tradition and an institution," said Steve Edgar, the Flames’ manager of game presentation in that 2019 story.
"He’s been doing this for almost 32 years now and he just provides us with an element of our show that we can have a lot of fun with," he said.
Friday, Flames employee and Saddledome tour guide Rick Tulsie weighed in on Twitter about the passing of Joosen taking place only days after the memorial service for longtime trainer Bearcat Murray brought many members of that Stanely Cup winning Flames team back together to pay tribute in Okotoks.
"From his organ stool," Tulsie tweeted, "He would have seen most #Flames fans grow up."
With files from Jordan Kanygin
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Person on fire outside Trump's hush money trial rushed away on a stretcher
A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.
U.S. FAA launches investigation into unauthorized personnel in cockpit of Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto
The U.S.’s Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a video that appears to show unauthorized personnel in the cockpit of a charted Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto.