High School Band
Don Banks was a band director who felt he could have more of an impact on music makers by providing them with quality instruments. In 1967 he opened Don Banks Music in Tampa, Florida to serve the local school bands. Over the years he expanded the store to include a full line of product offerings...
Jack Bullock has always enjoyed bringing music to young players. His long and well-respected career as a composer of works for bands and his method book have helped establish him as one of the leading writers for the music publishing industry. Working with Columbia and Frank Hackinson in the early...
Mitchel Banks has been working in the music store his father established as far back as he can remember. After serving as a band director, Don Banks formed his retail store in Tampa in 1967. Mitchel worked side by side with his father and took an active role in band instrument repair as well as...
Grayson Zeagler grew up in a musical family, singing in the church and playing in the band. Grayson plays the trumpet and began as a young student. His parents opened a sheet music store in 1968 in Monroe, Louisiana and Grayson grew up in the business and said he could think of nothing else he...
Kenny O’Brien is the president of Music & Arts, a retail store chain that his father, Ken O’Brian, established. Kenny oversees the stores, which focuses on school music and print and has locations in 18 states including Arizona to Delaware to Ohio and Texas. Kenny is proud that he continues, as...
Tony Leonard is the president of Playground Music, a Florida-based music store his father established in 1961. With a strong focus on school music and print, Tony has continued with many of the key elements his father developed as the store’s philosphy, namely customer service. Tony has also played...
Joel Menchey is the president of Menchey Music Service, a Hanover, PA based retail store established by his grandfather in 1936. Joel is also very active within the industry serving on boards and committees for such organizations as NASMD, NAMM and RPMDA. Joel, himself a music maker, can be heard...
Jim DePriest has been teaching for 28 years, He has taught students at Stuart-Menlo Community Schools, West Burlington Independent Schools, Notre Dame Catholic Schools, and Mt. Pleasant Community School Districts. He joined the Mt. Pleasant District in 1992 where he has been the high school band...
David Ellis was greatly influenced by his father, Richard Ellis, the band director and music store founder. Growing up in the business, David developed a strong passion for music both as a retailer and as a player. In fact, the only two years David did not work for Ellis Music was when he was on...
Richard Ellis was proud of the three main areas of his professional career; playing, teaching and selling musical instruments. As a teenager Richard traveled with a big band, playing dances during the Swing Era. He later taught music at several levels as well as directed the local community band....