Ron Seggi returns to Erie's Warner Theatre with salute to 'American Bandstand' on May 4

Erie native Ron Seggi will bring his "Salute to the Music of Dick Clark's American Bandstand" to the Warner Theatre on May 4.

The show features Seggi, his 16-piece orchestra and back-up singers performing songs by Elvis Presley, Bobby Darin, Frankie Valli, Ray Charles and other American Bandstand favorites.

Performing at the Warner is a special joy, Seggi said.

"It's always very exciting to get the chance to go back and perform in my hometown, to see people who grew up with me and remember me being on the air in Erie."

'I hear Hollywood calling'

Seggi began his entertainment career as a disc jockey and announcer for Erie radio and television stations while he was still a student at Strong Vincent High School and later at Gannon University. Ronnie G, as he was known on the air, also owned radio stations, including his first, WSEG-FM, at age 29.

He's also a Grammy Award-nominated singer.

"People ask how you go from being a disc jockey to a wannabe singer," Seggi said. "When you sit in a radio studio as a disc jockey and hear songs like 7.8 million times, you know all the lyrics anyway."

A contest at WJET-AM in Erie provided audience feedback for Seggi's singing. Each of the station's announcers sang a line of the "Twelve Days of Christmas." The lines were assembled and played on air for three weeks. Listeners voted for the best singing announcer.

"I won and thought, 'I hear Hollywood calling,'" Seggi said.

He recorded 12 records, including two that were nominated for Grammys.

'I started to choke up'

Seggi began broadcasting "The Ron Seggi Show" live via satellite from NBC/Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, on New Year's Eve 1990. He has since broadcast his variety talk show from all over the world and interviewed more than 19,000 guests, from Caroline Kennedy to Ringo Starr.

"One who stands out for me was Alan Shepard, the first American in space," Seggi said. "As a kid in Erie I used to play under the cellar steps pretending I was Alan Shepard in that Mercury space capsule. To become his friend early on in my talk radio venture meant a lot to me."

Shepard told Seggi on the air, "I know a lot about space travel and am an expert in aerodynamics, so let's see if we can get this show off the ground."

Another of Seggi's childhood idols was cowboy star Roy Rogers.

"At the end of my interview with him, he said, 'Happy trails, Ron.' Are you kidding me? I started to choke up. Experiences like that are overwhelming," Seggi said.

Other Seggi ventures include the television show "Ron Seggi's Rock 'n Roll Legends" and "Memories of the Tonight Show," a stage show produced in partnership with Ed McMahon.

Seggi additionally is a sought-after emcee and speaker and is president and CEO of Worldwide Broadcasting Inc.

Benefit performance

Proceeds from Seggi's Erie show will benefit the Paul Yoculan Sr. Memorial Scholarship at Mercyhurst Preparatory School.

The scholarship is named in honor of a longtime Erie baseball coach who earlier was lead singer for the Fabulous Epics, house band at the Peppermint Twist in New York City in the 1960s. Yoculan also was a member of the Younger Brothers, which toured nationally and performed with Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Ike and Tina Turner and others.

Yoculan died at age 82 in 2019.

Want to see the show?

Ron Seggi will perform his "Salute to Dick Clark's American Bandstand" at the Warner Theatre on May 4 at 7 p.m.

Ticket prices start at $35 and are available at the Erie Insurance Arena box office and online at ErieEvents.com.

An additional $25 buys VIP Meet-and-Greet admission to the rehearsal hall from 4 to 5 p.m. The pass includes a CD, signed poster, selfies with Seggi and some band members, cash bar admission until 6 p.m., and priority entrance to the theater for the show.

VIP Meet-and-Greet tickets can be purchased at Erie Insurance Arena box office or by calling 814-452-4857.

Coming to Erie stages: Godsmack, Collective Soul, In This Moment, more

Contact Valerie Myers at vmyers@timesnews.com.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Radio and stage personality Ron Seggi stars in 'Salute to Bandstand'