Music Retail
Marion Holloway is the president of Holloway Music in Monroe, North Carolina. The store was established by his grandfather in 1912 and run for many years by his father, who served as a mentor in business for Marion. Marion and his wife have been dedicated to their community and the needs of their...
Harry West was the founder of Fine Musical Instruments located in Statesville, North Carolina. The store was an early pioneer in vintage stringed instrument sales and in fact, Stanley Jay once called Harry, "the father of us all." His store was later renamed Harry and Jeanie West's Fine Musical...
Charles Lawson has played church organ from boyhood all the way into his 80s. He was hired by a small piano store when he first moved to Bristol, Tennessee, from Knoxville to be close to his wife’s family. Along the way he opened a piano shop in Bristol, and worked closely with the Baldwin Piano...
Guy Ward was the president of the Ward Piano Company, located in Canton, North Carolina, from the 1940s until his retirement. After his daughter and son took over the company, he continued to go into the shop every day even at the time of his 2013 NAMM Oral History interview when he was 89! As...
Tut Taylor was a world renowned Dobro player, but did you know he partnered with George Gruhn and the two hired Randy Wood to form a music store in Nashville? Gruhn Guitars began as GTR, which was an abbreviation for George, Tut and Randy, when it opened in the 1970s. Although George would buy Tut...
Lynn Clapp opened a small guitar shop in the back of a piano store in 1967. He later moved into his own building in Knoxville and called the place Lynn's Guitars. The store was a hot spot for musicians and for those dreaming of being the next big star. Lynn focused on lessons and over time...
Sarah Glew began her career in the music industry by selling records in a small store just south of San Francisco in Pacifica, California. Over time she added musical instruments and found that guitars were a great seller in the heyday of the Beatles and the British Rock Invasion. As the store...
Victor Lillo Jr. grew up in the music industry attending his first NAMM when he was 12 years old at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, CA. Vic reflects on his exposure to music and how a good attitude is a key to success. He founded the Johnny Guitar Corporation in Hollywood, CA. (est. 1988) and...
Benny Englund was a rock and roll singer as a teen when he fell in love with the music industry! He toured with groups as a roadie and sound engineer. He also worked for a time for a few record companies and traveled with groups such as the Hollies with Graham Nash and the Rolling Stones. Benny...
Pete Surowski is the founder of Pete’s Music store in Anaheim, California. He often uses the tag line that his store is the closest music retailer to the Winter NAMM Show. While performing as a professional musician, Pete was teaching lessons and decided to open his own store with a teaching...