Music Retail
Owen Ray recalls his father buying him a ukulele when he was a kid and his passion for string instruments began! Owen played a vital role in the Australian guitar market when he started repairing guitars as his day job while gigging with his band, the Countdowns, at night. While repairing Fender...
Ross Cole was inducted into the Australian Music Association's Honor Roll in 2017 for his life long career in music education. In 1978, Ross and his wife Marilyn opened Cove Music and later bought out Dixon's Music as a way of expanding into the school music market. The business expanded into 22...
John Goldsmith is the owner of Kosmic Music, a retail store in the western Australian city of Perth. He began repairing amps and loud speakers, which led to his involvement with backline gear for concerts. His first company provided the sound for the Rolling Stone's 1973 concert at the Perth...
Mark Barratt operates a music store that has been in his family for years. His great grandfather opened a clothing store that later sold pianos and was then expanded by his grandfather to include other instruments when he relocated to Launceston, Tasmania in 1937. Mark's father brought in records...
Graham Hoskins played trombone professionally with the likes of The Bee Gees. When he was off the road he worked in a local music store in Perth, Australia and did so for eight years. In July 1980, at the age of 25, Graham decided to open his own store, Concept Music in West Perth. As his store...
Tony Hosking grew up surrounded by music. His father, Ray, was a respected studio session trumpeter and helped young Tony land his first job in the brass department of Allan's Music store in Melbourne. Over the years, he had several fascinating jobs within the industry including reviewing each...
Michael Coleman and his wife formed a music store near Melbourne in 1989. Today, Cranbourne Music, remains a family business with their three children's involvement. An early milestone of the store's success was gaining the Casio line of products and with a strong foundation, Cranbourne branched...
Colin Steel is the founder of Keyboard Corner and KC's Rock Shop, both located in Melbourne, Australia. Colin began his career in music retail at Brash's Music in 1968 during the great home organ boom. Having talked his parents into purchasing a Wurlitzer organ when Colin was 14, he knew all...
Garry Hyde opened a small music store under his parent’s house back in 1962. Having a very famous musician as a father, he asked to use his dad's name for the store. Billy Hyde was a noted drummer who gained great popularity on a late-night TV program in Australia during the late 1960s and 70s. ...
Mike Daws moved to Melbourne from England in 1974 where his brother-in-law, a drummer, introduced him to Billy Hyde. Billy was a well-known drummer who helped his son, Garry, run a successful music store. Mike took a liking to Billy and Garry and was soon hired to help run the business side of a...