New Mexico
Jayda Cook grew up in her parent's music store, Candyman Strings & Things in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and she always had a passion for the educational component of the business. Jayda took lessons as a child and had a wonderful experience participating in the store’s Rock Camp program. She then...
Francesca Jozette Tharpe was so thrilled to have a role in her school's choir. The experience gave her a musical outlet and self-confidence, which led to her involvement with Musical Theater. She would later learn the guitar, began writing songs, and formed her own band, Free Range Buddha. An...
Chelsie Reed is the Marketing Coordinator for the store her parents, Cindy and Rand Cook, own and operate. Candyman Strings & Things was formed in 1969 by Matthew Schwartzman and later sold the store to the Cooks. It was Matthew who named the store after two different songs called “Candyman.”...
Ryan Clement was among the first employees at Grandma’s Music in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Established by Micky Patten in 1986, the store gained a strong reputation for selling pro audio and digital gear in great volume. Ryan became an expert on programming synthesizers, possessing a knowledge and...
Micky Patten, a lifelong musician who studied Jazz in College, always wanted to provide a space for musicians to shop for gear and feel comfortable. With that vision and dream, Micky opened Grandma’s Music in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1986. The store was launched at the height of the MIDI craze...
Mike White grew up in the Boston area where he was inspired by his band directors. While studying music in college in New Mexico, Mike was focused on becoming a band director himself. He greatly enjoyed his time as a music educator and still speaks of what he learned along the way. When the...
Cindy Cook married long-time music retailer, Rand Cook, in 1998. Ten years later, the couple had the opportunity to purchase the very store Rand had worked in for nearly 20 years. Together, the couple transformed the store into a welcoming music hub and education center serving people from all...
Rand Cook recalls his mother taking him into the Candyman Strings & Things music store when he was three years old. He was quickly disappointed at that young age that the store when he realized they did not have any candy. With his parents support and playing the clarinet in school band, Rand...
Joe Keith felt that the local music teachers needed specialized service when it came to finding the tools they needed. Along with his wife, Claudia, he opened The Music Mart in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with the goal of doing all that was possible to support music education and lesson programs. As...
Claudia Keith and her husband, Joe, are, together, one of the legendary couples of the print music business in the United States. As owners of the Music Mart in Albuquerque, NM, the Keiths have been partners in marriage and business, and pioneers in the Retail Print Music Dealers Association (RPMDA...