Dustin Tatro
OccupationOrganist • Radio Personality • Church Musician
Organization(s)Texas Rangers, MLB
TitleOfficial Organist, Texas Rangers & Globe Life Field

Organist/Choirmaster, St. Andrew's Anglican Church, Breckenridge, Texas

OM/PD/On-Air Host, WesTex Communications Radio
WebsiteTEXOrganGuy.com theRockDownShow.com

Dustin Tatro is an American musician who is the stadium organist for Major League Baseball's Texas Rangers.

Tatro serves as organist and choirmaster at St. Andrew's Anglican Church in Breckenridge, Texas, and is also a 20-year radio personality currently serving as OM/PD and chief engineer for WesTex Communications in Abilene, hosting middays on 106.3 The Raider. Formerly, Tatro hosted middays for Q Country 96.1 (KORQ) and a late-night rock program on KGNZ. He was also the creator and host of a globally-syndicated weekly radio show called The RockDown Show with Dustin Tatro, which features artist interviews and counts down the top ten songs in Christian Rock.[1] He also holds certification as a Texas EMT.[2]

Tatro began working for the Rangers in early 2020, right before the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] He is the first official organist of the Rangers since Marcia Rogers left in 2001 after playing since the opening of Globe Life Park in Arlington in 1994.[2] He got the job when Chuck Morgan, Executive Vice President for Ballpark Entertainment, saw videos Tatro had posted on social media while rehearsing for a major pipe organ recital and reached out to invite him to become organist for the Rangers.[2]

Beginning with the 2020 Major League Baseball season, the Texas Rangers began playing at Globe Life Field, which, as of September 2021, does not have an organ installed. [3] For the 2020 season, Tatro recorded approximately 750 pieces of organ music on a refurbished 1951 Hammond C2 organ that he acquired from the storage of a local Baptist church.[2] He also recorded some songs on the 2,800-pipe Garland organ at St. Paul UMC Abilene, where he was the organist from 2014-2022.[2] [4] Like many other stadium organists, Tatro takes requests on social media.[5]

Personal life

Tatro is from Andrews, Texas, and has lived in Abilene since 2009.[2] He holds undergraduate and masters degrees in church music, with organ and choral conducting emphases, from Hardin-Simmons University.[3] He is an Episcopalian and a member of the Association of Anglican Musicians. He is married to Staci Armstrong.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Nikkel, Mary (2020-10-19). "Dustin Tatro to Launch The RockDown Radio Show November 6". Rock On Purpose. Retrieved 2021-02-01.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Jaklewicz (October 21, 2020). "Texas Rangers' organist Dustin Tatro lives in Abilene, recorded music here". Abilene Reporter News. USA Today. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 Buscher, Casey (2020-07-27). "West Texas native becomes Texas Rangers' first organist in 20 years". kens5.com. Retrieved 2021-09-20.
  4. ↑ Fulton, Loretta (2020-04-27). "ST. PAUL UMC ORGANIST SINGING, 'TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME'". Spirit Of Abilene. Retrieved 2021-02-01.
  5. ↑ Collins, Larry (2020-04-29). "Texas Rangers Organist Keeps in Practice, Hopes Baseball Helps Healing Process". NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth. Retrieved 2021-02-01.
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