Band and Orchestra
Russell Thomas was a band director for over 34 years. During his teaching years he often felt frustrated that simple repairs would take weeks and often delay concerts or rehearsals. A local music store provided him an opportunity to learn simple repairs, which led to a passion that resulted in...
Denny Lawson began learning and playing instrumental music while in college. He soon found he had a great interest in playing music and switched his major to music education. While he was a band director, a music store had an opening on its repair bench and Denny took the job to learn basic...
Jim Stella began playing the trumpet in the fourth grade and continued to play throughout college and went to instrument repair school right after school before landing a job in manufacturing. He began working for Leblanc in the Martin Band Instrument factory and soon thereafter became plant...
Dave Surber’s father was a United States Navy musician who worked for the Leblanc Company after he retired from the navy. When Dave was looking for a job his father found one for him in the buffing room at Leblanc. Dave moved into polishing clarinet keys while his father worked with artist...
Sally Schiff and her husband Mel moved from New York to Florida where they decided to open their own music retail business. All County Music in Tamarac, Florida first opened in 1976 with a strong focus on band and orchestra music and repair. Sally ran the store while Mel went out to call on the...
John Edmondson and Anne McGinty worked together at Charles Hansen Publishing, where they met. Together they freelanced as composers and arrangers until they decided to form their own firm, which they called Queenwood Publications. They built a solid catalog within the company, which was well-...
Mel Schiff and his wife Sally established All County Music in Tamarac, Florida. The first store opened in 1976 with a strong focus on band and orchestra music and repair. However, Mel’s introduction into the industry began when his father established The Schiff School of Music in Brooklyn, New...
Pete Ceo grew up in a musical home, thanks in large part to his band-directing father. When Pete was a child his parents owned a small music store in Wheeling, West Virginia. Pete grew up in the store and fell in love with the band instrument business. When Pete took over the business, he...
Bob Scheiwiller taught music for three years before landing a job at a music store; the very first store he would later purchase. Bob bought and opened several music stores over the years beginning in the early 1970s, with a strong focus on band instruments. Also beginning in the early 1970s, Bob...
Ede Kidder was teaching full time when her husband came home from his job at a music store with the idea of owning their own store. Luckily for Jim, Ede jumped in with her many skills to make the store a success. She took over as the book keeper and played a vital role in the growth and...