Chicago IL

Joy Collins has had a successful career selling piano and organs! In fact she may very well be the person who has sold the most Allen Organs, ever. Joy was hired by Glenn Davis, who owned a piano and organ store in Chicago, as a secretary but soon discovered selling was in her blood. She would take home her tasks as a secretary, such as letters and reports, and completed then over the weekend so she had time to sell instruments during the week days. She soon became a top salesperson for Mr. Davis. The company changed its name to The Beautiful Sound in 1978 when Mr. Davis passed away and Joy purchased the company. Under Joy’s direction the company became the Steinway dealer for Chicago in the 1980s.

James “Red” Holloway is an accomplished jazz saxophone player who began his love affair with music while a student of Captain Walter Dyette at DuSable High School in Chicago back in 1942. He recalls his first paying gig at 16 with the band of Gene Wright, who later went on to become a member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet. Red talks of the wonderful jazz clubs he worked in Chicago in the 1940’s and 50’s. In recent years, Red has worked with Clark Terry. He shares some of his comments with him.