Some sad news on Canada Day: longtime Calgary Flames organist Willy Joosen has passed away.

Joosen took over for the retiring Irene Besse as organist at the Saddledome to begin the 1988-89 season, and since then was a fixture in the building and an integral part of the Flames game experience. He was a consummate pro and always seemed to enjoy mixing in more contemporary fare in with traditional arena organ music – he regularly mixed in songs from the Legend of Zelda video game series and often adapted popular songs to the organ, such as Lady Gaga or the Tragically Hip among others.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to Joosen’s family and friends, along with our heartfelt thanks for all the great memories he helped cultivate for Flames fans for over 30 years.