Women in the Music Industry
Linda (Wert) Young asked her parents, when she was twenty, to assist her in the upstart of a music store after realizing her passion for helping children identify their interest and abilities in playing music. Her dad mortgaged the family farm, which lead to the opening of Wert Music in 1973. With...
Rita Goldman sat right next to her future husband in high school and recalls with a smile how their friendship turned to a long and loving marriage. She also warmly recalls his passion for the piano business. Harry Goldman was the founder of Fields Piano in southern California, a store that...
Ami Belli grew up in the Philippines surrounded by music. She played piano as a girl and would often sing with her mother and sisters. She earned her medical degree and moved to the United States, where she focused on alternative medicine. While practicing in Los Angeles, she met Remo Belli, who...
Barbara Gensmer established herself as one of the top church organ dealers in the United States, having sold and installed over 1,200 units since the 1970s. She focused on Minnesota and Wisconsin, and stayed loyal to the Rodgers Instrument Company for most of her career. In 1991, when Rodgers...
Carola Schlegel is director of the International Instrumental Competition in Markneukrichen. This juried contest is held every year with the alteration of string and wind instruments. As a representative of the city of Markneukirchen, Carola Schlegel is not only responsible for the competition but...
Paula Lang’s father, Andreas Prüller, owned a company in Schönbach producing purflings for violins, cellos and guitars. After World War II, the Czech government started nationalizing production facilities and due to his experience in the application of varnish to string instruments, Andreas Prüller...
Kathy Ford grew up singing in school plays and special programs. Her love of music was furthered years later when she teamed up with longtime piano technician Frank Baxter. Kathy helped Frank on the business side of his Piano World online store and services as well as their piano supplies website....
Rebecca Brill-Argall and her husband, Charlie, worked hard to build their customer base of dealers throughout Canada. Their distribution company provided musical instruments and accessories including their own Cat’s Tongue Grip brand guitar picks. As Charlie pointed out, one of the key elements of...
Letty Jo Randell formed her own music publishing company, Letting Go Music, after having worked for Screen Gems and a company she formed with her then husband, Denny Randell. She began using some of her poems to write tunes with Denny and later they collaborated on several other songs. She teamed...
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...