Formerly known as the Melody Tones, The Joe Noto Combo featured Joe Noto (accordion and Sonovox), with Buddy Robbins (trumpet), and Bob ‘Spider’ Shower (drums). They were house band at The Pump Room in the early ’60s.
Robbins later with the Sugar Beats, Shower later with City Lights.
During the mid-’60s Noto’s trio featured Art Volpe, Jr. (trumpet), and Mike DeLuca (drums) and were a house band at Pecora’s (Towson and Fallston).
In the early ’70s the trio consisted of Noto, with Frank Turk (drums), and Gary Putnam (vocals ex-Capris). This trio performed at Pecora’s (Towson). Noto also worked in bands with Frank Riehl and Pat Moran. Their trio was house band at the Pump House on North and Howard Streets.
Joe arrived in Baltimore from Sicily at age 16, and in the mid-‘60s he established Govan’s Music in the mid-‘60s where he gave private music lessons and sold instruments and accessories. The store relocated to Bel Air in 1971 and was renamed Music Land. Joe passed away in 2015. His son Larry continues to operate the store.
