Uncle Floyd Found Calling On Stage at Glen Rock High School

It was in the 1960s at Glen Rock High School that Floyd Vivino recognized his dream to climb onto the big stage.

It was on stage at the school he first felt the rush of performing in front of an audience.

Fifty years later the former Glen Rock resident and New Jersey icon also known as Uncle Floyd still performs. He's currently celebrating the 25th anniversary of his radio show, “The Italian-American Serenade.”

The program airs on WVIP FM 93.5 in New Rochelle, New York.

Floyd is no stranger to broadcasting. His previous show, “The Uncle Floyd Show” began airing in 1974 on a variety of television stations, and ended in 1998. Since the show ended, Vivino has been performing as Uncle Floyd for charity events, public programs and private parties as well as writing for local publications.

Floyd's brother, Jimmy, is currently the band leader for Conan O'Brien's late night talk show on TBS. Their other brother, Jerry, is also a member of Conan's Basic Cable Band. Jimmy is a guitarist and Jerry plays the saxophone.

Despite the musical background, Vivino said he thanks  for being the genesis of the bug that pushed him into performance.

“When I attended Glen Rock High School, it was there I realized I wanted to get into show business. I lived on the stage and the teachers realized that and they encouraged me,” said Vivino is telephone interview.

He discussed teachers like Okie Chenoworth and Ben Harris who were in charge of the variety shows and Joseph Sielski who directed the musical.

“We would perform the works of Moliere, Chekov or Ibsen. We would also do musicals like ‘Brigadoon,’” said Vivino. “And we did them without microphones.”

It was during one of these performances, Vivino said, that his course in life was set.

“I remember that evening very well. It was on Jan. 28, 1968, and I did a show in the auditorium and the orchestra was playing ‘Everything Is Coming Up Roses’ and I felt the rush of 600 people clapping for me. It was then and there that I knew I was going to be an entertainer,” said Vivino. “I did not belong on the basketball court or in the science lab.”

He described Glen Rock High School as being almost a “special arts high school.”

“The teachers were concerned that whatever it was we wanted from life, that we were able to make a living from it,” said Vivino.

He estimated that less than 25 percent of the students in his senior class went to college.

“The other three-quarters of the class went to work or into the Vietnam War, and I went right into show business, and when I got out there, I felt like I could conquer the world,” said Vivino with a laugh. “For me to have to go to a day job … is a death sentence.”

In 1974, Vivino began performing his show and in 1980 it was syndicated to New York City, Philadelphia and Chicago. The show captured the attention of musicians like David Bowie, John Lennon and The Ramones.

According to previous published reports, Bowie became familiar with the show upon hearing it from John Lennon. Lennon found Vivino’s television show while staying at home raising his youngest son, Sean. Bowie would go on to write the song “Slip Away” on his 2002 album “Heathen” as a tribute to Vivino and his show.

Vivino also helped introduce fellow New Jersey icons, Bon Jovi, to music fans by giving the band their first television appearance. In Sept. 2010, Bon Jovi was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

“Bon Jovi will still give me credit for that,” Vivino said.

In 1986, Vivino began the “Italian American Serenade” for WRTN FM (now WVIP) and played the music of Dean Martin, Bucky Pizzarelli, Connie Francis and Luciano Pavarotti along with performers like Bruno Martino, Giulietta Sacco, Michele Zito and Tito Schipa.

As the “Italian American Serenade” begins what Vivino hopes will be its next 25 years, he credits the previous 25 years to his time at Glen Rock High School.

Three years ago, Glen Rock High School celebrated the school’s 50th anniversary and invited Vivino to speak.

“As I was speaking during the event, I told a few jokes and I saw Principal [James] McCarthy walking up to the stage,” Vivino said. “I looked at him and I asked, ‘What are you going to go, give me a detention?’”

Vivino said if he could speak to the students of Glen Rock High School again, he would encourage them to pursue their dreams.

“Do for a living what you love in life,” said Vivino. “If you want to be a baker, be a baker, just make sure you love doing it.”