HISTORY OF SYRACUSE MUSIC - CHAPTER 17 - THREE RIVERS INN NIGHTCLUB, 1934- 2001 (Updated 5/3/2013)

 The famed Three Rivers Inn we first found showcased talent back in 1934 after Isadore H. Castle purchased the restaurant and changed the name from Barnum's to the Three Rivers Inn.  It's  was also advertised as Harvey's Three River Inn for a show while managed by Frank Herbst.  Between 1940-50 the proprietor was listed as Theresa Miller Krause. It then shifted to Doc Summers (real name Harry Galanter ) and his wife Ester, who then sold the nightspot to Dominick Bruno on May 28, 1955. Three Rivers Inn was located on Oswego Road at  Three Rivers junction in Three Rivers, N.Y  During the late 50s & 60's it was the areas largest and most popular night spots. Three Rivers Inn hosted the famed "Teen Canteen" ran by 'Dandy Dan" Leonard on Sunday afternoons starting in 1960. Note- Dan Leonard would also served as talent advisor in the 60's.

Fire destroyed the  nightclub on February 19, 1973. Club owner Dominick Bruno passed away in 1988 at age 70. His son Ron Bruno opened the "New" Three Rivers Inn (1981-90) down the road a few miles in Three Rivers Plaza, Phoenix, NY. But Ron died suddenly on January 2, 1998 at a youthful age of 54. Tim & Scott Rose bought the "New" Three Rivers Inn in May 2000, and reopened the nightclub on August 15, 2000. The club closed just a few years later

Here is a listing of just some of the popular acts that appeared at Three Rivers Inn  1934 - 2001


1934-55    THREE RIVER INN  (was formerly Barnum's in 1933)

1934-  Blue Knighthawks

1937-   Hollywood Revue- Pennsylvania Dance Band

1938-  Kings of Rhythm

1939-  Louis Danksha, Irene Loftus, Ernie Miller,  Freddie Millers Band

1940-  Ernie Miller Orchestra, Rhythm Girls

1941-  Murray Driscoll Band

1946-  Eddie Carol Orchestra, Arlene Dey, Marianne Dillion & Bob Planer, Jackie Kren Orchestra

1947-  Music Masters

1948-  Ames Brother., Jan August, Louis Armstrong, Stormy Bergh, Gertrude Bond, Johnny Bond Band, Cab Calloway, Count Basie,  Roy "Little Jazz" Eldridge, Earl Hines, Phillips & Green, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson,  Eddie Slark Orchestra, Jack Teagarden, Three Suns, Jimmy Vince Orchestra

1949- Red Angle, Louis Prima Orchestra

1950- Louis Armstrong, Tony Bennett,  Guy Bono Orchestra, Duke Ellington , Ernie Miller Band, Stella Ryan, Vicki Wells

1951-  Louis Armstrong, Cozy Cole, Guy Mitchell

1952-  Louis Armstrong, Tony Bennett,, Nat "King" Cole,  Alan Dale, Georgia Gibb,  Lionel Hampton, Al Martino, Mills Brothers, Marion Morgan, Mel Torme

1953- Louis Armstrong,  Ray  Eberly,  Louis Prima, Mickey Rooney, "Sugar Ray" Robinson Revue, Three Suns, The Treniers, June Valli

1954-  Don Forbes,  Jack E. Leonard, Mills Brothers,  Guy Mitchell

Doc Summers (Harry & Ester Galender) sold Three Rivers Inn to Dominick Bruno on  May 28, 1955

1955-1973  Three Rivers Inn   (Dominick Bruno Years)

1955-  Lou Monti, Somethin Smith & Redheads, Jerry Vale

1956-  Eddie Arnold, Pat Boone,  Nat "King" Cole, Crew Cuts, The Gaylord's, Julius La Rosa, Marion Marlowe, Tony Martin w/ Tex Beneke Orchestra, McGuire Sisters, Vaughan Monroe w/ Don Rickles, Patti Page,  The Penguins, Vagabonds, Mae West.

1957-   Hill Toppers, Gordon Mac Rae, Johnny Mathis, McGuire Sisters, Carmel Quinn, Johnny Ray, Charlie Spivak Orchestra,

1958-  Tony Bennett, The Diamonds, Dion & The Belmonts, Dusty Draper, Billy Eckstine, Ink Spots, Tommy Leonetti, Kathy Linden, McGuire Sisters, Ray Peterson, Jimmie Rodgers, Rudy Vallee

1959-  Nat "King" Cole, Tommy Edwards, Duke Ellington, Guy Lombardo Orchestra, Johnny Mathis, Chad Mitchell Trio, Poni Tails, Johnny Ray, Tommy Sands, Jerry Vale.

1960- Bud Abbott, Eddy Arnold, Tony Bennett, Johnny Cash & The Browns, Dorothy Collins, Xavier Cugat & Abby Lane, Duke Ellington, Connie Francis, Bobby Geno, Liberace, Johnny Mathis, The Playmates, Johnny Puleo, Della Reece, Jimmy Rodgers, Mickey Rooney, Bobby Rydell w/ Jeff and the Notes, Vagabonds, Jerry Vale, Adam Wade, Andy Williams, Faron Young.

1961- Frankie Avalon,  Jimmy Beaumont (of the Skyliners), Jerry Butler,  Jimmy Cavallo,  Dion & The Belmonts, Morton Downey Jr, Jimmy Durante, Dynamics, Te Flares, Connie Francis, Woody Herman Orchestra, Johnny and the Hurricanes,  Ernie K-Doe, Eartha Kitt, Julius LaRosa, The Letterman, Liberace,  The Marcels, Lloyd Price, Johnny Ray,  Neil Sedaka, Ray Stevens., The Tones w/ Larry Santos.

1962- Don Barber & The Dukes, Freddie Cannon, Cathy Carroll, Jimmy Cavallo, Chubby Checker, Nat "King" Cole, Gene Cornish, The Daquires (Mike Esposito), Bobby Darin, Sammy Davis Jr, Jimmy Dean,  Shelley Fabares, Connie Francis, Jamie Grant, The Jesters,  Little Eva, Frankie Lymon,  Ernie Maresca, Quotations, Salt City Six, Santo & Johnny, Linda Scott,  Hank Snow,  Tico & The Triumphs, (Paul Simon), Sophie Tucker, Timmy Yuro

1963- Steve Alaimo, Paul Anka, Louis Armstrong, The Continentals, Johnny Crawford, Bobby Darin & Sandra Dee, Shelley Fabares, Peter Lawford w/ Jimmy Durante, Steve Lawrence & Eddy Gorme, Brenda Lee, Lou Monte, Paul Peterson, Lloyd Price, Bobby Rydell, Sam & the Twisters, Frank Sinatra Jr w/ Tommy Dorsey Orchestra,  Johnny Tillotson, Vagabonds,  Jerry Vale,  Mark Valentino, Link Wray & The Raymen .

1964- Andrews Sisters, Tex Beneke, Milton Berle, Teresa Brewer, Gene Cornish & The Unbeatables,  Ronnie Dio & The Prophets, Fisher & Marks, Impressions, Harry James Orchestra, Jake LaMotta, McGuire Sisters, Serendipity Singers, Kay Starr, Johnny Tillotson,  Jerry Vale,

1965- Ray Anthony Don Barber & The Dukes, Tony Bennett, Jimmy Cavallo, Dion, Mike Douglas, Frank Fontaine, Earl Grant, Guess Who, Woody Herman Orchestra, Eddie Hodges, The Kingsmen, Frankie Laine, The Madisons, Al Martino, Barbara Mason, Phyllis McGuire, Vaughn Meader, Johnny Puleo, Rockin Ramrods, Bobby Sherman, Otis Smith & the Headliners w/ Bebo Singleton

1966-  Jimmy Cavallo, Rosemary Clooney, Pat Cooper,  Damita Jo, Vince Edwards, Four Aces, Four Lads, Peter Hurko, Kingston Trio, Jayne Mansfield, Glen Miller Orchestra, Patti Page, Ruby & The Romantics & Bebo Singleton, Johnny Tillotson. Leslie Uggams.

1967-  Tony Bennett, Ray Charles w/ Billy Preston, Mike Douglas Show, Frank Fontaine, Frankie Laine, Julius LaRosa, Little Egypt, Martha (Reeves) & the Vandellas, Al Martino, Phyllis McGuire, Lou Monte, Helen Reddy, Johnny Tillotson

1968-  Jimmy Cavallo, Bobby Darin, Frankie Laine, Al Martino, Phyllis McGuire, Domenico Modugno, Rick Nelson, Patti Page, Bobby Rydell, Vagabonds, Mamie Van Doran.

1969-   Count Basie, The Casuals, Four Aces, Ink Spots, Irish Rovers,  Frankie Laine,  Brenda Lee, Buddy Rich Orchestra, Frank Sinatra Jr, Jerry Vale, Bobby Vinton.

1970-   Brook Benton, Pat Cooper, Sergio Franchi, Earl Grant, Ferlin Husky, Stan Kenton Orchestra, Pee Wee King,  .Frankie Laine, Carmel Quinn, Herb Reed's Platters,  Joan Rivers, Sandler & Young, Stonemen, Vagabonds.

1971-  Jo Ann Castle, Danny Davis and Nashville Brass, The Diamonds, Eddie Fisher, Connie Francis, Sergio Franchi,  Buddy Greco, Edwin Hawkins Singers, Ink Sports,  Fran Jefferys, Frankie Laine, Bobbi Martin, Lou Monti, Martha Rae, Buddy Rich, Doc Severinson, The Vogues.

1972-  Pat Cooper,  Tex Beneke & Ray Eberly, Maynard Ferguson & Woody Herman Band, Frankie Laine,  Abby Lane, Trini Lopez, Al Martino, Phyllis McGuire, Johnny Puleo & Harmonicats, Sandler & Young, Serendipity Singers, Vagabonds,

1973-  Pat Cooper, Norm Crosby, Fabulous Fakes, Fisher & Marks, Sergio Franchi, Peter Hurko, Johnny King, Frankie Laine, Al Martino, Buddy Rich.


1981-1990  New Three Rivers Inn (Ron Bruno)

1981- Buddy Greco, Jo Ann Miller

1986- Al Martino, Lou Monti, Carmel Quinn

1987-  Roy Clark, Pat Cooper, Four Aces, Ink Spots, Brenda Lee, Al Martino, Patti Page, The Platters,Sandler & Young,  Mel Tillis,

1988-  Foster Brooks, Hal Casey, Cindy Cash, The Diamonds,  Dan Elliott & the Monterays, 4 Aces, 4 Lads, Little Jimmy Dickens,  Ferguson & Taylor, Nancy Kelly, Ronnie Leigh, Peggy Lynn, Mac Brothers, Bill Monroe, Michael  Martin Murphy, The Platters, Jerry Reed,  Dan Seals, Kathy Twitty, Jerry Vale, Kitty Wells, Tammy Wynette, Pai Zadora

1989-  Amber & The Runaways, Dan Elliott & The Monterays,  Mickey Gilley, Buddy Greco, Ivory, Al Martino, Michael Martin Murphy,  The Platters, Jerry Reed, Shuffle City, Southern Comfort Band, Steve Southworth & Rockabilly Rays, Mary Wilson (Supreme)

1990-  Jeff Altman, Back Alley Boys, Blackhawk, Mickey Gilley, Jeff Jones & Pal Green All-Stars, Louise Mandrell, Bob Morton, Ray Price, The Scinta's, Michael Twitty,

Ron Bruno dies on January  2, 1998 at the age of 54

May 2000, Tim & Scott Rose purchase the "New" Three Rivers Inn and plan to reopened on August 15, 2000.

Tim & Scott Rose's "New" Three Rivers Inn (2000-01)

2000-  Back Alley Boys (9/22), Donnie Dee, Connie Francis, Swivel Rockers, Total Package

2001-  Tink Bennett & Tailor Made, The Critics, Dr. Boogie, Fabulous Locknutz, The Groove, Kyote, Miss E, Shadow Club.