Baldwin Piano Company

Don Broman worked long and hard in the music products industry, striving to create quality products and dependable customer service to dealers around the world. When he joined the Lyon & Healy company in 1937 the country was in the midst of the Great Depression, yet Don worked hard with the staff to keep the company above water. As he had said, “we stayed until the job was done.” He stayed 38 years until Baldwin Piano Company offered him a job as Vice President in 1975. Don remained at Baldwin until his retirement in 1984.
 

Dave Brubeck has played Baldwin Pianos for most of his long career. As a classically trained performer, he added poly-rhythmic concepts to jazz. Among his most celebrated recordings is the world famous “Take Five.” While he never caught the teaching bug, he has been greatly influential on countless performers and musical professors who have been inspired by his blend of the classical techniques and the feel of jazz. Mr. Brubeck has come to symbolize the high art of music and has thus given jazz a great deal of its needed respect.

Robert C. Cosgrove was hired by the Baldwin Piano Company following World War II and later worked his way up to vice president. He witnessed the re-building of the production line, which during the war was used to assemble wooden gliders. Bob also took part in what he described as a historic meeting of the piano giants when in the 1950s he served on the AMC Board along with Henry Steinway of Steinway & Sons. Bob was told at the time that it was the first time the two competing companies worked together.

Ernesto Gittli was born in Uruguay and moved to the U.S. as a small boy before he began taking piano lessons. He met his wife, who also taught music, and together they envisioned a music school that would encourage all ages to become music makers. Gittli Music opened in the mid- 1960s with a strong focus on providing parents with an education regarding why music is important to their child long before “music makes you smarter” was ever a slogan.

Frank Huffman was the quintessential traveling music salesman! With charm and always a few good jokes, Frank has made his way across the United States, first for Wurlitzer and then for Baldwin. Standing next to Frank in a smoke-filled bar, one could meet all the other travelers who knew him by name and who shared, as Frank did, their many road stories. With Frank, the decades of hard work, dealer relations, perseverance, and his keen product knowledge, were only second to providing what the customers wanted and needed.

James M. E. Mixter may very well have been the only person in the industry to have worked for Baldwin Pianos before, during, and after World War II. As a result, he was able to provide meaningful stories and facts regarding an era for which changes occurred in the industry. These changes had an enormous impact on music making for many years. Mr. Mixter later served as President of the American Music Conference (AMC) and provided wonderful insight on the growth, development, mission, and goals of AMC.

Harold Smith ran the Baldwin factory in Greenwood, Mississippi and became president of the famed piano company in the 1980s. In addition to the task of improving production and working conditions in the plant, Harold designed a music program in the local schools to showcase the importance of playing the piano. Studies were completed based on his program, which showed an increase in academic achievement with those students who began playing the piano. Harold worked for Baldwin for over 21 years before his retirement at the age of 70 in the early 1990s.  

Dan Strait moved his family to Austin, TX from Houston to open a Baldwin piano franchise back in 1963.  The company was called Strait Piano and Organ and Dan’s motto was “Where customers become friends”.  Slowly, Dan saw the opportunity to expand to a full-line music store, and in 1967 Strait Piano and Organ incorporated and became Strait Music Company. A reputation for good products, good service, and good prices led to a steady growth in business. 
 

Lucien Wulsin’s grandfather was taught the piano business by D. W. Baldwin, the founder of the world-famous piano company. What he learned was passed down to his son, who, like his father, became president of the company. Lucien III carried on the family tradition and served as President of Baldwin Piano Company during the turbulent 1960s. The piano business needed to compete with the home organ products, which were on the raise.