Local musician and business owner honored

By JoAnn R. Walter —

Benny Fiacco, a local musician and business owner, received a prestigious award on June 20. His name is now engraved on a star, and in the spotlight on the Wall of Stars at the Forum Theatre in Binghamton, N.Y.

Fiacco joins a diverse group of notable natives on the famed wall, such as television producer Rod Serling, B.C. Pops founder David Agard, jazz bassist Slam Stewart, and cartoonist Johnny Hart, to name a few.

A U.E. High School graduate and lifelong resident of Broome County, Fiacco is the owner of Music City located at 3104 Vestal Parkway E. in Vestal, N.Y. He plays bass and guitar, most notably for the bands Frostbit Blue and B-3, as well as filling in for other bands like Highway Fruit Market.

When Benny opened Music City in downtown Binghamton in 1981, he recalls as clear as if it was yesterday the first item he sold. The customer happily walked away with a Lou Reed album.

Today, and more than 40 years later, customers of all ages visit Music City to seek out a prize album to take home. Actually, Benny acknowledged that he never thought that there would be such an interest in vinyl records again, or what some refer to as the “Vinyl Revival.”

This year at Record Store Day, an annual April event held throughout the U.S., Fiacco was amazed at the turnout. Music City customers, he said, were waiting in a line that trailed out the door and around two adjacent buildings.    

Four decades later, Benny truly enjoys sharing his passion for “all things music” with the community, his customers, and fellow musicians.

Music City is a music lover’s dream. Benny’s shop offers electric, acoustic, and bass guitars, electric and bass amps, pedals, keyboards, string /folk and band / orchestra instruments, and much more. 

There are countless accessories as well, such as microphones, guitar straps and strings, drum needs, cymbals, violin strings, studio equipment, clothing, and other music-inspired merchandise. 

Music City also provides instrument lessons in guitar, bass, ukulele, banjo, drums and piano, and offers repair services for many instruments such as guitar, brass, woodwinds, orchestral, and amps, too.  

Benny is pleased that his downtown store kept growing, but eventually the building became too small, and parking was limited. 

One day, while riding his motorcycle on the Vestal Parkway in 2007, he happened upon a “For Rent” sign and thought it was a good fit for his business. He moved in, and then several years later moved again, and has been at the current Music City location ever since.

Benny shared, “And almost everything I’ve accomplished at Music City is because I’ve learned from my customers.”

Fiacco’s musical journey started in eighth grade. To this day he remains genuinely grateful to his music teacher at the time, and who was a member of a band called Fabulous Failures. A little southern tier history, the Failures opened a show at Ty Cobb Stadium on June 16, 1966 that featured the Dave Clark Five, a British pop group, and part of the British music invasion. 

Benny reminisced about his music teacher playing Beatles music incessantly, and was particularly mesmerized by, “John Lennon’s voice, it intrigued me.”

About the same time, Benny’s cousin, Lou Liguori, was playing guitar, which led to Benny’s interest, “I wanted to play guitar, too.”

And, that he has. As a longtime bass player for the Oswego, New York-based band and Oswego County Music Hall of Fame recipients Frostbit Blue, Fiacco has toured all over New York State and beyond, including gigs in Owego, N.Y. (not to be confused with Oswego).

Frostbit Blue, and known for their southern rock, has opened for a remarkable list of iconic bands such as ZZ Top, the Marshall Tucker Band and Charlie Daniels, the Outlaws, and Bare Naked Ladies, to name a few.

Benny remarked, “Frostbit Blue now comes together for about eight shows a year,” and one upcoming being Blues on the Bridge in Binghamton on Sept. 16, and added, “I’ve been playing with them for 23 years.”

Fiacco shared, “The 607 music scene is vibrant,” and added that he admires bands that play original music. He frequently plays bass with the B-3 band as well.  

Looking back to the pandemic period between 2020-21, Fiacco was astounded at the escalation of guitar sales, and said, “I have never seen so many guitars being sold. Because of that, I have a prediction that in a few years we’ll see some really good guitar players emerging.”

June 20, 2024 was officially named Benny Fiacco Day in Binghamton. For his Wall of Stars award presented by the Friends of the Forum, Benny received a proclamation from Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham, along with multiple citations, including one from Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, and another from Assemblyman Joseph Angelino.

Benny noted, “It is a big honor to receive this award. I thank the Friends of the Forum, family, friends, and all of the musicians and those who support musicians.”

Fiacco’s message to everyone is to keep supporting and encouraging musicians, and pass on the love of music to the next generation. 

To learn more, visit https://musiccityny.com.