Music Retail
Ron Losby was classically trained on the piano and began his love of the music industry by providing free lessons at Sherman Clay’s retail chain. He later worked within the Wurlitzer music stores where he was trained on the “Wurlitzer Way” of doing business. Those classes provided a foundation for...
Mike Capalbo worked as manager at Downey Music which was started by his dad, Nate Capalbo. The family owned and operated, Downey Music was established in 1952 when Nate left La Habra Music. Mike recalls how his father, Nate, used his passion for music and some financial help from his parents, to...
Rich Galassini was nineteen years old when he first visited Cunningham Pianos as a customer with his parents. A few years later, in 1987, when he was just 23, Rich began working at the store. After working closely with the family that owned the business, Rich was able to purchase the company and...
George Nellas started his career in the music industry at Byerly Music in the 1970s selling home organs in the store's mall locations. After moving to Los Angeles, George worked for Sherman Clay for over a decade as well as Fields Piano. While working retail in California, some industry colleagues...
Darren Speir often reflects back on the Texas music store his uncle and his father opened. His father was a piano technician and helped build the store's customer list based on his attention to detail and the care he put into each piano tuning and repair. After working in his father's piano store...
Adriana Flores proudly represents the third generation in her family to run Alamo Music in San Antonio, Texas. The store was established by her grandfather Alfredo Flores Sr. (1908-2014) back in 1929. Her father, Alfredo Flores Jr., took over the business from his father and later served as...
Stu Cohen grew up playing the clarinet, and took lessons for close to eight years. In the early 1950s, Stu listened mostly to country music on the radio, just because it was the only station that his radio would pick up. When he was in college, Stu got into country music even more, and started...
Angela Koregelos grew up playing the flute and taking lessons from her father, George Koregelos. George owned his own retail store and Angela has fond memories of working alongside her father. George also founded Koregelos Flutes, as well as HW Products. Angela went on to study flute at the New...
Robbie Robertson was a member of the rock group The Band, which backed Bob Dylan and went on to record a string of hit songs, many of which Robbie wrote. During his NAMM Oral History interview, Robbie talked about the music stores he visited as a kid and his delight in going to Manny's Music in...
Roy Good, like many, was first influenced by The Beatles when they came over to the United States as part of the British Invasion. After finishing school, Roy took as many college music classes as he could from composition to vocal ensembles. He took his passion for music further when he accepted a...