OTN Speedwagon, the company rock band of Ciena Corporation, won the Fortune Magazine Corporate Battle of the Bands at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH on Saturday night.
Notre Dame parent Bob Rodio (that's Bob holding the Platinum record the band received for winning the competition) plays bass guitar in the band. Bob’s son Michael graduated from Notre Dame in 2012 with a music degree.
OTN Speedwagon was voted the best company band in America by a panel of veteran musicians, including Liberty DeVitto (drummer for Billy Joel), Rob Arthur (keyboards for Peter Frampton), Jeff Carlisi (guitarist for .38 Special) and Ricky Byrd (guitarist for Joan Jett and the Black Hearts). Antoinette Folett, the editor-in-chief of Making Music, rounded out the judges’ panel.
Two of Bob’s co-workers took home individual honors at the Rock Hall: Saxophonist Steve Darflinger won “best horn player” and Paul Bullock won “best guitarist.”
Oh, and get this—OTN Speedwagon earned their spot on a wild-card bid, after a different panel of judges chose not to advance the band from the Nashville regional competition. Not sure what those judges were thinking…the “real deal” judges knew who could really play!
LINK: BEHIND THE SCENES
LINK: BAND PERFORMING EARLIER THIS YEAR
