Alumni musicians return to the WU stage

Traditions have always been a part of Waynesburg’s promising outlook.
One of the things that Waynesburg has prided itself on having since 1849 is a tradition of faith.
Events and activities become traditions with the school, too. One tradition that keeps bringing people back to campus is the annual performance of a rock band out of New Jersey.
The Gross National Product will be having its 45th anniversary concert in the Goodwin Performing Arts Center on April 25 starting at 7:30 p.m.
Admission is free.
The group started out during a time in which rock bands were forming left and right in New Jersey.
In the late 1960s, this was also the case with GNP, as a group of friends got together and formed a band.
Bill Molzon, professor of communication, was one of the founding members of GNP and plays guitar with the group.
Molzon brought the idea of bringing GNP to Waynesburg in the spring of his freshman year in 1970. Since then they have regularly performed here. The group has also performed at two Rain Day Festivals that are held in town.
As time progressed, community members and students have been added to play with the original members. No one year will have the same people performing because the group alternates people.
Something that doesn’t happen often with artists that come to Waynesburg is that they lack a variety of musical taste. That isn’t the case with GNP.
”You may not like one song on the set, but you may very well like the next,” said Molzon.
Classic rock, blue grass and jazz are just some of the musical stylings which will be played.
Junior sports broadcasting major Creg Milko will be playing trumpet with GNP.
”It’s a really great experience,” said Milko. “Playing in GNP is the only thing we all have in common and it’s great to learn from them all.”
GNP has something most acts that come to Waynesburg don’t have; a recurring fan base and community support that people look forward to every year.
They only perform once a year and it brings the current students, community and alumni together for a night of reminiscing.
Along with the students participating on stage, there are students from the Department of Communication who will be running a production of the show as well.
Students will be working audio, cameras and directing the show from a television standpoint.
Students spend the weeks prior to the show setting up the GPAC for the show.
Seven of the original members of the band will be performing onstage, traveling from all corners of the country such as Texas, Florida, New Jersey, New York and North Carolina.
As much as the concert is a tradition here at Waynesburg, it is also a big reunion for old time friends. Molzon, Bob Christian, Scott Buttfield, Tom Minson, Linc Davis, Charlie Behrend and Jeannie Fisher are the original members who get together for this event.
”It’s a word of mouth factor, ” said Molzon. “Someone may have come to the first show, then they told their neighbor about it. Now they’ve all been coming ever since.”
Recently Bruce Johnson, one of the original members of the group that first started playing at Waynesburg, passed away on April 6.
Johnson graduated from Waynesburg College in 1977. He directed the horn section for GNP and also played the saxophone.
Over the past 39 years, he has performed with the show starting out in his spring semester of 1974.
According to GNP’s Facebook group, “Bruce loved listening to and performing music. He loved making music with his GNP family members. It might be correct to say the biggest piece of GNP’s heart was in Bruce’s chest. He will be missed immensely.”
With the group only performing once a year, this is a show that shouldn’t be missed.
”The audience is very dedicated,” said Molzon. “And we want to put a good show on for them.”