Bulls Organist Bruce Michaels Plays In The Stands

Bulls Put More In The Stands Than Fans
Organist Bruce Michaels Steals Home

The Durham Bulls are getting attention for more than a great baseball team. The atmosphere at the ballpark has long been praised for being family friendly, entertaining and energetic. Now the Bulls organist is getting a little notoriety.

The fans know they're getting live music when they see organist Bruce Michaels playing in the stands.

In the May 28th edition of Raleigh's News & Observer, writer Jonathan Goldstein featured Bulls organist Bruce Michaels in the article "Music in the stands." Goldstein marveled at the innovation of putting Michaels into the action, literally. The Bulls pulled up a few seats behind homeplate and puts Michaels and his Clavinova in the stands on Friday and Saturday home games.

Having the music front and center adds flavor to the carnival atmosphere at the

Durham Bulls ballpark. Goldstein wrote, "The right-before-your-eyes evidence that this really is live music makes the ballpark experience a little richer, a little more authentic, a little more 'Bull Durham," fans say."

Bulls Director of Media Relations Matt DeMargel told Goldstein that, "The decision to move Michaels into the seats wasn't the result of a major marketing study…Owner Jim Goodmon simply thought it would be fun."

And fun it is, especially for Michaels. The 36-year-old singer, songwriter, actor and piano teacher told Goldstein, "I'm a ham-a performer. I love being in public. If I'm in front of 50 people, that's good. If you give me 500 people, that's great. If it's 10,000 people, that's wonderful."