Winter Piano Company

Vince Grantano has been a fixture among traveling piano representatives. He has traveled the entire United States for several companies over the years to bring new products to retailers. His most notable job was with the Winter Piano Company where he worked for several decades. Vince joined the National Piano Traveler’s Association in the 1950s, during a time when several of the old timers could talk about the golden age of the piano in the early 1900s.

Henry Heller recalled with detail his father’s idea of moving the Aeolian Piano Company’s manufacturing plant from New York to Memphis. During the months of the move in the early 1950s, his father suffered a heart attack and died. It was up to Henry not only to take over the project of moving the plant, but also to serve as President of the entire company. Under Henry’s leadership, the company purchased a number of well-established piano brand names such as Winter, Ivor, and Pond. Henry’s NAMM Oral History was recorded over the phone and is an audio recording only.  

Bob Heller’s grandfather began working in the music industry as a piano manufacturer in New York. Along with two partners, his grandfather formed the Winter Piano Company, which under the leadership of Bob’s father, branched out to include other brands such as Aeolian Pianos. Bob worked alongside his father before taking over as president, overseeing the factories in New York and in Memphis, TN. Bob remembers the day in the 1960s when the factory burned down, which was a major blow to the company, which would close its doors in the 1980s. Bob’s memories of the factories and its people are of great value to the oral history collection as he helped us document the Winter and Aeolian chapter of our industry. 

Glen Howard was the first salesman hired by the Winter Piano Company following World War II. Raised in Marshalltown, Iowa, Glen is the son of a real estate broker who fell on hard times during the Great Depression. Glen emerged from those difficult years with a strong understanding of the value of a dollar and with his friendly personality; he seemed destined to be a salesman. During his career at Winter he played a role in the re-development of the dealer relationship program that grew cold during the war.  

 Jack Javens loved the piano business and became one of the industry’s quintessential salesmen.  He worked for the Aeolian Piano Company out of East Rochester New York beginning in the 1950s and stayed for 26 years.  He witnessed the famous merger between Aeolian and the Winter Piano Company in the mid 1960s and the strong competition of the home organ boom in the 1970s.  Jack was proud of the products he sold and spoke of the rich company history of Aeolian, which went back to 1903. 

Arthur Linter had many stories to share, like the one about his real birthday. “My mother told me, ‘Your birthday is March 14, 1913, but it says April 5 on your birth certificate because the doctor put it in his pocket and carried it around for a few days before he filed it.’”

He was a street wise kid from Brooklyn who took night classes to become an accountant and lawyer while working the day job of assisting his father in making headstones at a local cemetery. “The work was rewarding but I often told my father that his clients kept dying off.”

Arnold Poppenberg was hired by the Winter Piano Company as a traveling salesman in 1959, the same year he attended his first NAMM Show. He remained with Winter for ten years, but went on to rep for several other piano companies in the industry making him one of the most successful piano travelers with territory that has covered the entire United States –at least once! Arnold is also an active member of the National Piano Travelers Association, which was originally formed in 1904 and has had their annual meetings and dinner at the NAMM Show ever since.

Wilton Syckes is thought to have sold more pianos than any other salesman. A veteran of the industry, Wilton is also a former president of the National Piano Traveler’s Association. The association awarded its lifetime achievement award to Wilton in 2000. Wilton’s love and knowledge of the piano business is unequaled – a fact clear to all those lucky enough to meet him. He began his career at Winter Piano and attended his first NAMM Show in 1950. Wilton didn’t miss a show until his retirement from the NPTA in 2008. 

Rose Wernes Drake traveled with her husband, Ivor, when he became the second salesperson hired for the Winter Piano Company following World War II. He often said the company got two for the price of one as she soon became as good an asset to the company as he was. It was Ivor’s idea to train her on all aspects of the business and she traveled with him on most every trip. She got to know his many accounts and became friends with many of the retailers and their wives. Together they became one of the most recognized couples in the industry before Ivor passed away in the early 1970s. Years later Rose married famed UCLA coach, Ducky Drake.