2016 BIG BAND AWARD WINNER
About Nick
Nick was born in Oswego on May 20, 1922 to Carmelo and Maria Sterio. The 2nd of 3 children, he began his musical career at a young age, first learning to play the banjo, where he could make 50 cents a night playing with his father’s Italian American Citizens Band.
At Oswego High, Nick learned to play the Clarinet, and at 16 years, old performed for the first with the Oswego City Summer Concert Band.
Nick attended Aviation School in Elmira, NY, where he met Orville Wright, and later served in the US Army Air Corp., spending time in Biloxi Miss, and Corpus Chrisye Texas, where he became a member of the “Air-Sea Rescue”. He returned to Oswego, working as a carpenter for many years before opening Sterio’s Men’s Shop in 1954. He married Adele Stracuzzi in 1958, and they raised 2 children, David and Judy, in his family homestead. Nick is a life member of many organizations, American Federation of Musicians, Oswego Country Club, Carpenters Union, Elks Club, American Legion, Knights of Columbus, Charles C. Crisafulli Post, and was past president of the Musicians Union, Kiwanis, Jay Cee’s and YMCA.
Nick’s musical career took off in the 1940’s, when he started his 1st band, a quartet, which played regularly at The Hillview Inn. As time went on, the bands got bigger, the gigs more frequent, and, in their heyday, the Nick Sterio Orchestra was playing 2, 3, and sometimes 4 jobs every weekend. Nick’s band was the ‘Go-To’ group for every wedding, prom, fraternity/sorority formal, dinner dance and Policeman’s/Fireman’s/Charity Ball for many years. Most every prominent musician in CNY has played with Nick, during his 75 year run as a band leader. Additionally, while in his 80’s he performed several times with the National Community Band along the east coast. At 92, Nick was still performing with the Oswego City Band, the longest participating member of the organization.
Nick still likes to sit at home, practicing his clarinet and sax while watching the television. He and Adele are still quite active around town, where you can usually find them out late at night having dinner at one of their favorite hang-outs.
2016 EDUCATOR AWARD WINNER
Edward S. Lisk (who passed away in 2025) was an internationally recognized clinician, conductor, and author whose career included decades of leadership in the Oswego City School District and induction into the National Band Hall of Fame for Distinguished Conductors. A transformative force in music education, he taught, conducted, and influenced musicians across the nation and beyond through his writings and leadership—and he will be deeply missed.
Edward S. Lisk is an internationally recognized clinician, conductor, and author. He is the former K-12 Music Supervisor and Director of Bands for the Oswego City School District (1970-1991).
He is a recent recipient of the distinguished 2015 Academy of Winds and Percussion Award (AWAPA) presented by the National Band Association. This award was established for the purpose of recognizing those individuals who have made truly significant and outstanding contributions to furthering the excellence of bands and of band music throughout the world, and determined to be so outstanding that they deserved and warranted honor and recognition. The “AWAPA” figure is designed to be the “Oscar” of the band world.
Mr. Lisk is an honored and elected member (48th) of the prestigious National Band Hall of Fame for Distinguished Conductors. Mr. Lisk joins the ranks of notable conductors such as John Philip Sousa, Edwin Franko Goldman, Henry Fillmore, Col. Arnald Gabriel, and Col. John R. Bourgeois, among many others. In 2009, Mr. Lisk received the Midwest Medal of Honor. The Midwest Medal of Honor recognizes the recipients for their conspicuous efforts, worldwide recognition, and continuing influence in the development and improvement of instrumental ensembles deserve special recognition. He received the 2012 Phi Beat Mu Outstanding Contributor Award.
Called a “unique leader in the profession” and “a dynamic force in music education,” Edward S. Lisk has been invited to speak and conduct all-state bands, honor bands, university, and professional bands throughout 85 universities in 46 states, five Canadian Provinces and Australia.. He is the author of The Creative Director Series (11 pub.) published by Meredith Music Publications, a co-author of the highly acclaimed 10-volume publication by GIA, Teaching Music Through Performance in Band and editor of the Edwin Franko Goldman March Series for Carl Fischer Music Publications.
His professional performance background includes nine years as a clarinetist with the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, and performing with notable television and recording personalities Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Andy Williams, Johnny Mathis, Billy Eckstein, McGuire Sisters, Liberace to name a few.
He is an inducted member of the prestigious American Bandmasters Association and in the year 2000, served as the 63rd President of this distinguished organization founded by Edwin Franko Goldman. Mr. Lisk served as Vice President (Emeritus) of the Midwest Clinic Board of Directors and is a past-president and CEO of the John Philip Sousa Foundation, a past-president of the National Band Association (’90-’92) and served NBA as Executive Secretary Treasurer (‘97-‘02). He is the recipient of many distinguished awards and titles.
Music is vital to education. It is a powerful force in human learning and a language that cannot be denied. A child searches for expression and creative opportunities to share with others to satisfy their need for communication. The foundation for comprehension is enhanced significantly through the fine art of music by developing a child's critical listening and thinking skills through the nuance, inflection, and subtleties of rhythmic and lyrical expression. Becoming sensitized and being able to recognize and respond to music’s fine art of detail provides a depth of understanding and a value appreciation that enhances the development of the total individual. This is not found in any other school learning experience. One must consider the impact music makes on the student as they pursue academic excellence. Through music performance, we expand academic achievement and create a productive, successful life only attainable through the fine detail of artistic production and performance. Through music study, students experience the beauty of musical expression.....Beauty, compassion, feeling, appreciation, sensitivity, love, peace, tolerance, sympathy, warmth, empathy, self-esteem, cooperation, and respect……These are but a few “living or life priorities” that are hidden in music study! No other discipline addresses these “living or life priorities” in the manner which music does. Once a school district denies the opportunity for music study, a student is lost to the whims of life’s desensitizing environment.
Edward S. Lisk, Conductor, Clinician, Author
2016 JAZZ ARTIST AWARD WINNER
Edward Goodness began his musical journey as a teenager, learning piano from Pearl Stockwin and later mastering the inner workings of the instrument while apprenticing with a piano technician. Over the decades that followed, he performed throughout Central New York with a long list of gifted musicians, eventually leading the Eddie Goodness Quartet and becoming a familiar presence in venues from Hotel 25 to the Holiday Inn and the Cameo Café. Though he has mostly hung it up in recent years, his decades of steady, heartfelt playing left a real mark on the local music scene.
At 8 or 9 year old, I took lessons from the local ministers wife without much success. At 14 or 15 I began lessons with, Pearl Stockwin, a teacher who had played for silent movies. During the 2 years I studied with, her I learned much about the piano, and much more about music. The next year I worked with a piano tuner/ technician, Earl Everts, and learned all about the instrument. I even rebuilt an old upright piano. At age 17, along with, Eddie Lisk and Brian Latulip, I began playing at local venues. We started at, Hotel 25 in the summer of 1953, and after Eddie Lisk left for at SU, Brian and I continued at the Hotel and later worked at, Alexandria Bay’s Crosman Hotel and Edgewood Hotel.
During the period of 1954 thru 1961 I worked at various restaurants (bars) with a host of musicians including, Bob Maher, Joel Langholz, Pat Guido, Ange Spano, Johnny Musacchio (Jan Stuart), Bill Jacobs, Maury Rebeor, Lee Goodness, Ken Fischer among others.
In 1961 after a divorce I began playing at 3 River Inn, the Three Saints Restaurant that lasted until 1962. In ’62, I returned to Oswego at the, Chart Room, where I played year round for several years. During the winter months the, Chart Room became the, Chalet Room and I played at it’s piano bar.
In 1969 I stopped playing altogether, weary of playing and not improving much musically.
In 1970 I met a bass player named Cliff Heap who worked at SUCO and Bob Stenger who was a student at SUCO and a member of the Solid State, Hugh Burritt’s baby. Cliff, Bob and I got together regularly just to play. Shortly Cliff was transferred and his spot was quickly filled by, Eddie Powers and the playing continued. Powers decided that while we were playing, why not make it at a local bar, Smith’s Hotel, operated by, Jay Harmon, who seemed to like our music. We started at, Smith’s right away and continued until we were recruited by the, Holiday Inn, one block away where we played for several years.
After bouncing around we settled at the, Cameo Cafe where we played for a couple of years. During our stint at the Cameo, Joe Spereno, who was employed at Brockport State College hired us to open for a group Rhinoceros who were appearing at the schools big week-end.
The Eddie Goodness Quartet was manned by Dick Guyer, Eddie Powers, Don Freyleue, Bob Strender, Jimmy Holmes, Joe Cortini, Dan Batchelor, Jim Butler, Dan Eason, over the years, and worked at many locations and often.
The last group consisted of Eddie Powers, Bass, Dan Batchelor, Drums, Dick Guyer, Tenor Sax, Flute, etc… and me.
My last playing engagements have been with my old friend, Nick Sterio.
With the exception of a few gigs, I have pretty much hung it up.