‘Wonderful to be here’: Faust thrilled to return as White Sox’s organist
For decades, the soundtrack to White Sox baseball games came courtesy of Nancy Faust.
The team’s longtime organist played at more than 3,000 games from 1970 to 2010. This summer, after 15 years in retirement, Faust is returning to the organist’s booth that now bears her name at Rate Field for six games as part of the White Sox’s 125th anniversary celebrations.
“There’s so many aspects that I’ve missed: the fans, the game, the different relationships that I’ve made and kept over the years,” Faust said. “I’m just happy to be back and experiencing that once again, and I hope I play something that people like to remember.”
Faust’s playing over the years has certainly been memorable. In 1972, she began playing “Jesus Christ Superstar” whenever White Sox slugger Dick Allen came to the plate. That moment is widely considered the beginning of walk-up music for individual players, something that’s become an MLB tradition.
But as walk-up music spread, players began selecting their own songs. Luckily for Faust, she found a workaround that allowed her to continue making her mark on the game.
“I reinvented myself. I said, well, I’ll play for the visiting players, and I still do that,” Faust said. “I’d like to think that I’m here for the enjoyment of the fans and perhaps the players, if they’re paying attention.”
One of the main reasons Faust’s playing was so popular was she kept up with the popular culture of the day. She says she always tried to play songs that were in the Top 10 on the radio at the time, because she knew that’s what people were listening to. Even after 15 years out of the organist’s booth, she’s still adding chart-topping music to her arsenal.
“I have added to my repertoire along the way,” Faust said. “I have a Taylor Swift song. Dua Lipa’s song, ‘Dance The Night,’ you’ll hear that, the Tipsy song, ‘Not Like Us,’ and some old songs that I never played but I’d heard along the way.”
But the biggest thing drawing Faust to return wasn’t the new music. It was the opportunity for new interactions with the fans. Well before stadium organists could go on social media and ask for suggestions, Faust was receiving song tips from all across the ballpark.
“It was the fans that were my social media back in the day. They had access to me, and they provided me with wonderful suggestions,” Faust said. “I was able to personalize music thanks to the knowledge of the fans.”
The woman once named “baseball’s best organist” by Sports Illustrated will be back in her booth starting May 11. The final playing day is slated for Aug. 10.
“I saw a term that somebody used, and it was a combination of stress and pressure. It was called ‘stressure.’ That’s what I have,” Faust said. “It’s a good stressure, and I’m really happy to be back. It’s just wonderful to be here.”