Ronnie & The Satellites Orbit Rose Larisa Park

As summer is winding down, so too are the concerts at Rose Larisa Park. The last one of the series, sponsored by the East Providence Parks and Recreation Dept., unfolded along with the blankets and chairs on Thursday evening.

This time it was Ronnie and the Satellites taking the stage to perform some of their ‘50s and ‘60s doo wop, pop and oldies songs.

The parking lot at the Carousel was filled to capacity, so many visitors had to try to find available parking across the street.

The crowd that gathered to listen and sway to the music was a multigenerational mix that included young children playing ball on the grass and running about.

Ronnie Dee, Joe Fiske, Gary Sabourin and Ron Grenier, four of the original members of the group, sang their harmonies for the audience.  Missing was George Tootell because he was in Ireland with his wife celebrating their 50^th wedding anniversary.

“In 1958 we started doing gigs. Only one of us was legal to drive. Now he’s too old to drive,” joked Joe Fiske.

They started things off with “Pennies From Heaven,” a song made famous by Bing Crosby in 1936. Other classic songs from the '50s and '60s included “Earth Angel," “See You In September,” “Where Or When,” and the Del Vikings' “Come Go with Me.”

“In 1959 we cut our first recording,” said Ronnie Dee, lead singer and manager of the group.

That song is “Last Night I Dreamed,” which the group then performed, followed by the flip side, “Dream of You.”

It was a nice warm summer evening, perfect for the last concert of the season.