(December 14, 1948 - October 31, 2025)
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| Chick Veditz, in his David Wilcox-designed Marble Bar tee at a Hampden (or Hon) Fest |
Saturday, November 1, 2025 - Last night Amy I I were treated to a fun Halloween party at our friends' house. This morning came the trick part of the holiday: the devastating news that our friend Harry "Chick" Veditz had passed away. It came as a total shock, as it was only just over a month ago that we ran into Chick at the Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention in the Towson Sheraton Hilton, where he was manning his huge vendor's table of trading cards and was in high spirits talking about music and his days selling records at the Arbutus Record Show.
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| Based on Happy Times: Tom & Amy with Chick at the Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention, Towson Sheraton Hilton, September 19, 2025 |
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| Chick's trading card tables take up an acre of real estate! |
Harry Chick Veditz was truly part of the Greatest Generation. No, not like our fathers who fought in WWII, but the Greatest Marble Bar Generation. Chick's Legendary Records opened in Mount Washington Village on July 14, 1978 (France's Bastille Day) and lasted until June of 1992.
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| Chick's Legendary Records opens July 14, 1978 in Mount Washington Village (Don Webb behind the counter) |
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| Chick's Legendary Records matchbook |
His record store was called Chick's Legendary Records for a reason, for Chick himself was a local legend. Like his Marble Bar-era contemporary David "Steptoe" Wilcox, Chick was a Giant of the local music scene, whether hosting gigs at his store with his "house band" The Slickee Boys, selling his bottomless crates of vinyl at local record shows, or broadcasting his annual WOWD Christmas show with Robbie White, where he separated the sizzle from the drivel and the best from the rest (and could always be counted on to play Root Boy Slim's "Christmas at K-Mart"!).
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| Chick outside Takoma Park's WOWD radio station with Robbie White |
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| Chick masked up for a Covid edition of his WOWD Christmas Special |
I remember that in 1980, Marble Bar owners Roger and LesLee Anderson designated Thursdays as "Legendary Chick's Nite," with all girls ("Chicks" - get it?) getting in free to enjoy 75 cent beers while Chick spun records from his boundless bounty of vinyl. LesLee herself later would sometimes co-host Marble Bar-themed editions of Chick's WOWD Christmas Show.
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| Chick with Kim Kane, Robbie White, LesLee Anderson and Weasel outside WOWD-LP radio station in Takoma Park, MD |
Chick also advertised regularly in the Baltimore City Paper to promote local bands and shows, such as the OHO Record Release Party for 1984's Rocktronics LP (as shown below).
And each summer, Chick hosted an annual anniversary party where he invited his favorite local bands to play outdoor his store. I recall those days well, having been in Thee Katatonix, one of the bands that successfully hounded him to play his 2nd Anniversary Party in August 1980.
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| T-shirt commemorating Chick's Legendary Records 1st Annual Anniversary Party: July 14, 1979 |
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| T-shirt for Chick's 3rd anniversary show, 1981, featuring The Alcholics, (Slickee Boy) Mark Noone's Wanktones, and The Boatniks (alas, the latter band had to cancel) |
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| Katatonix/Boatniks bassist Katie Katatonic hangs with Wanktone singer Mark Noone outside Chick's Legendary Records, 1981 |
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| Chick presents "Chicken Jam '82"! |
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| Boy Meets Girl play at the anniversary "Chicken Jam '82" |
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| David Wilcox & The Alcoholics playing a Chick's Legendary Records anniversary show |
But Chick Veditz he was more than just a music collector, or trading card collector extraordinare (the man had MANY hobbies/obsessions!). Chick was a baseball fanatic, one the Orioles biggest boosters who never missed attending, listening to or watching a game...
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| Chick with fellow record store pals Bill Blankenship and Jamie Hopkins at Oriole Park at Camden Yards |
...and one of the easiest guys in the world to talk to. About ANYTHING. A sweetheart of a Baltimoron, whose Chicks-a-Palooza Retirement Party in 2014 at the Ottobar was one of the happiest nights in my life.
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| Chick's Legendary Retirement tee (designed by David Wilcox) |
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| Chick's Legendary Retirement Anniversary & Private Party flyer (art by David Wilcox) |
I called this night his retirement party, but the Ottobar shindig was much more that that. As Chick himself explained:
Among the many occurrences the party is to celebrate-the 30th anniversary of Arlene and Chick; my 31 years with the State of Mayland and pending retirement at the end of January 2015 (another party then); What would have been the 36th anniversary of Chick's Legendary Records (I missed the 33 1/3 party opportunity); the 31 years since the Orioles won the World Series; The many summer parties at my parents place on Bodkin Creek; record store employees reunion; softball players reunion; mini Marble Bar reunion; seeing friends, relatives, and co-workers; and I have wanted to throw a party for a long time.
Chick chillin' at his Chicks-aPalooza Retirement Party at the Ottobar in 2014
No one didn't love this guy. A giant who walked this earth and gave back so much joy to his family and friends.
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| Which Came First, the chicken or the vinyl record? We only know Chick came first when all his friends and family turned out for his November 4 memorial at Sol Levinson Funeral Home |
Update: Chick’s funeral took place Tuesday, November 4 at Sol Levinson & Bros. Funeral Home in Pikesville, followed by his interment at Baltimore Berryman’s Lane Hebrew Cemetary in Owings Mills, and afterwards a celebration of life gathering at his son Jonathan Veditz’s home in Towson. It was great to see all the friends gathered at all these events, including Slickee Boys Kim Kane and Marshall Keith, Mike & Katie Milstein, Sharon Rudolph & Dave Bainbridge, Jamie Hopkins, Bill Blankenship, LesLee Anderson, Mary Butler, Sam Nitzberg, Bernie Ozol, and Don Webb, among many others.
And that annual Christmas music show Chick was slated to do with WOWD's Robbie White this December 16? Chick's wife Arlene mentioned that her son Jonathan was looking forward carrying on the tradition in his stead. Stay tuned for details!
So get the band back together, Slickee Boys. Let's have a memorial for the ages to celebrate this wonderful dude's life! And start frying those coddie cakes!
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