Ron Rhode Biography Ron Rhode has enjoyed a long career as a theatre organist. He received a 10/10 top rating from CD Review Magazine on two of his recordings and was named Organist of the Year in 1989 by the American Theatre Organ Society. He has played virtually every major theatre organ in the world. Ron is a native of Illinois, where he began his musical career on the piano. He quickly advanced to classical pipe organ, and in 1968 held his first theatre organ job playing for roller skating. In 1973 Ron moved to Phoenix, Arizona, to start a long association with the Organ Stop Pizza restaurants. In 1975 Ron moved to Mesa, Arizona, where he held the Featured Organist post and played for pizza patrons until November 1986. In July 1988, Ron again joined the staff as Associate Organist until his retirement in 2000. In Phoenix, he has been the Featured Organist for the Orpheum Theatre Foundation's Silent Sunday Series, a silent movie series, since its inception in May 1999. Since leaving the pizza parlor on a regular basis, Ron has completed a Bachelor of Education degree in Early Childhood Education at Arizona State University, and in 1995 received a Master of Elementary Education degree from Northern Arizona State University. Ron continues to perform professionally across the United States, Canada, England, and Australia. He is a favorite at American Theatre Organ Society annual and regional conventions, and he has more than twenty recordings to his credit.