Assorted ramblings from the world of entertainment:

• Calling hours for Robert Joseph Miller Jr., who died at age 69, took place back in March.

But his friends and fellow musicians knew the only way to pay tribute to the guitar player everyone knew as “Rollo” would be with music.

That tribute comes Sunday with Rollopalooza at Avalon Country Club at Squaw Creek in Vienna.

Bob Fiorino — who played with Miller in Mom’s Apple Pie in the ’70s, as a member of The Full Moon Allstar Band in the last decade or so and as half of the duo FM Acoustic — said the planning started shortly after Miller’s death.

The lineup will include Mr. Lucky (which features members of Emergency Alert, one of Miller’s bands) at 3 p.m., Bekah’s Groove at 4:15 p.m., Sideshow (the band Miller played with longer than any other) at 5:30 p.m. and the Full Moon Allstars at 6:45 p.m.

Fiorino stopped playing with the Allstars about 18 months ago — he said he was content with the performance fix he got from his and Miller’s FM Acoustic gigs — but he’ll perform with the band on Sunday.

He couldn’t speak for the other bands, but Fiorino said the Allstars will be playing a couple of the songs for which Miller was best known.

“We’re going to do two songs that Rollo did particularly well vocally and that people really enjoyed,” Fiorino said. “‘Nights in White Satin’ (by the Moody Blues), he would sing his heart out on that. I’m going to sing that one, and Doug Thomas is going to sing ‘Born to Be Wild’ by Steppenwolf.”

Taking Miller’s place on guitar with the Allstars will be Jim Golen.

“He’s a consummate musician, just like Rollo, and has been doing it for decades — playing music, carrying around equipment, doing everything he can to play live music,” Fiorino said. “We were trying to decide who could sit in for Rollo on guitar. Jim Golen came up, and we all thought it was a good idea.”

Admission is $5 at the door. Miller had some health issues, and Fiorino said he initially considered picking a medical-related charity as the beneficiary for Rollopalooza. But those health issues didn’t define Miller, his love of music did. Instead, any money collected will go toward the development of music programs for area youth.

• Last weekend I did a story on The Youngstown Connection’s Grand Finale concert on July 26. It will bring back more than 40 alumni as a last hurrah for the high school group founded by Carol Baird that entertained local audiences and performed around the world.

One of the people coming back is actor and singer Joshua Triplett, who has appeared on such television series as “The Neighborhood” and “Grey’s Anatomy” and been seen in more than 150 national television commercials.

I reached out to Triplett about his Youngstown Connection experiences, but didn’t hear back from him in time to include it in the story; however, what he sent was worth sharing.

“For me, The Youngstown Connection wasn’t just a performing arts group. It changed the entire trajectory of my life,” Triplett wrote. “Dr. Baird was like a second mother to me. She brought out my greatest strengths while teaching me about love, peace, brotherhood and excellence. She hand-picked us and molded us into the best versions of ourselves, always seeing what we could become.

“Because of this program, I experienced my first airplane ride, my first trip to New York City and my first Broadway show – milestones that opened my eyes to what was possible. It was there that I realized what I wanted to do for the rest of my life … This upcoming event is a reunion for most, but for me it is a celebration of gratitude. It is my way of honoring Dr. Baird for giving us everything she had to give — her vision, love, discipline and unwavering belief in our potential. She is a true hero who saved lives, including mine, and I am forever grateful.”

Andy Gray is the entertainment editor of Ticket. Write to him at agray@tribtoday.com.