Florida

AJ Altieri began working in the music retail business in the mid 1970s after a childhood filled with music. He played in bands as a student along with being a Drum Major, before performing in area rock bands. He began working in Elliott Rubinson’s Thoroughbred Music in Tampa, Florida. AJ was asked to manage the small drum area of the store, which under his direction over the next decade outgrew the space. The success led to the idea of his own drum shop one day, which became a reality in 1995 when Thoroughbred Music was sold. AJ and his wife Gracie opened AJ’s Pro Percussion Shop in Tampa where they soon became the spot for drums and drummers.

Grace Altieri has a background in law but was willing to put that career on hold when her husband decided to open a drum shop in Tampa. AJ was working for a local music store and was really growing the drum segment of the business, so, when a chance came along to open his own store he jumped at it. Grace soon took over the books, the sales and sheet music department and found that as the store grew so did her love of the industry. Grace recalls many meaningful memories of the ten years she and AJ owned the store including several late night jam sessions and successful clinics in the store.

Don Banks was a band director who felt he could have more of an impact on music makers by providing them with quality instruments. In 1967 he opened Don Banks Music in Tampa, Florida to serve the local school bands. Over the years he expanded the store to include a full line of product offerings and repair service for all musicians. Don’s son, Mitchel, joined the company right out of school as did Don’s grandson.

Mitchel Banks has been working in the music store his father established as far back as he can remember. After serving as a band director, Don Banks formed his retail store in Tampa in 1967. Mitchel worked side by side with his father and took an active role in band instrument repair as well as using the ever-changing technology, such as the Internet, to benefit the business. Mitchel is also active in industry groups such as NAPBIRT, NAMM, NASMD and RPMDA.

Greg Billings is the president of the Steinway Piano Gallery of Naples in Florida. Greg is also a very active member of the music products industry, appearing on panel discussions at NAMM Shows, serving on boards and writing a regular article for Music Inc. magazine. His deep passion for the industry and for providing music in the lives of many thousands of people can be traced back to the passion of his father, Zeb Billings. Zeb was a pioneer in both retailing and music publishing in the home organ era that set standards still being used to this day.

Theo Boylan grew up in a small town 80 miles from Chicago and has a musical performance background in both piano and oboe. As a small child, she began her love of classical music at the piano, which, over the years became a career when she was hired by Thoroughbred Music in Clearwater. During the boom in piano sales in the mid to late 1990s, Theo developed a specialized customer service and selling approach that has endeared her to local music educators, as well as to her customers. Focusing on Yamaha products, she has received the Yamaha Touchstone Award every year since 1998. She was hired by Piano Distributors for their Tampa Bay stores in 2002 and currently serves as President of Mid-State Music Teacher's Association.

William Dollarhide is the president and owner of Dollarhide’s Music Center in Pensacola, Florida. He grew up in a very musical family, with his mother a pianist and teacher and his father a band director. His grandfather was also a band director, so Bill was very proud to be the third generation of band directors. He worked for Jimmie Johnson at Mississippi Music for several years before opening his own piano store in 1988. He served on the NAMM Board twice, once beginning in 1987 and again from 2000-2003.

Gary Grimes played a very vital role in the early part of his career, working in the music education department at Wurlitzer. Gary wrote many of the training programs for Wurlitzer as well as music education materials that were provided to customers. He served as Vice President of Marketing with Wurlitzer, Executive Vice President for the Baldwin Piano Company, President of Lowrey Organs and President of the National Piano Manufacturers Association. Gary enjoyed the piano industry so much that he set off to establish his own retail store.

Charles Hale had an idea to hire a monkey to show how an easy-play organ could be operated by anyone. The hysterically funny ads were one of a million clever ideas Hale used in selling keyboard instruments. As the founder of Hale’s Piano and Organ Company in Florida, he established himself as a creative industry leader, leading to the position of President of the NAMM Board of Directors from 1981-1983.

Tony Leonard is the president of Playground Music, a Florida-based music store his father established in 1961. With a strong focus on school music and print, Tony has continued with many of the key elements his father developed as the store’s philosphy, namely customer service. Tony has also played an active role in several industry associations over the years to add his part in bettering his own business as well as help strengthen the entire industry.