accordions

Peter Bartkus grew up in Rockford, Illinois and was proud to establish a music shop there in the early 1950s. True Tone Music became a hub for musicians and was known throughout the area for Peter’s creative and precise instrument repairs. With a passion for the accordion, Peter enjoyed the innovations he witnessed over the years including the Roland accordion complete with MIDI. Peter also made his own True Tone brand of guitars and basses.
 

Abbott Buegeleisen and his late brother ran the music wholesaling business that his father formed in New York City. Abbott’s father and a friend, who soon after passed away, combined their names to form Buegeleisen & Jacobson. B&J became a strong force in the industry by providing accessories and top line instruments such as accordions from Italy after World War II. Abbott recalls working in the company before the war, but made his mark with his brother after the war in expanding the product line and increasing their dealer base in much of North America. Abbott’s interview was insightful and covered over 80 years in the music industry.

Alex Carozza has designed his own reed system for the accordion. The idea came to Alex after years of performing on the instruments and repairing them in his shop, Alex Music, on 48th St. in New York. He opened the shop in the early 1970s after working across the street at Sam Ash. If you ever visit the shop, you may be amazed at the level of craftsmanship. Legendary luthier Carlo Greco works at the bench right next to Alex.  

Dick Contino had a series of hit recordings and popular television appearances in the 1950s playing his trusty accordion. By the end of that decade, he was hired by M. H. Berlin at Chicago Musical Instruments (CMI) to introduce a string of innovative products. It was Dick who first introduced the Cordovox in the mid-60s, thanks to his friendship with Mr. Berlin. Dick appeared at a number of NAMM shows as an endorser and recalled a number of warm memories of the friendships he developed in the industry.

Michael Diehl opened a small store in Freehold, New Jersey after serving in the United States Navy during World War II. He attended college on the GI Bill and found that he could run the music store with a small loan from the bank. His business flourished during the great accordion craze of the late 1940s and 50s. He was one of the very first Fender Guitar dealers in the country and watched as the electric guitar became even more successful than the accordion, a fact that shocked Mike. Over the years the store grew in sales and size based on one fact, according to Mike, customer service!
 

Sam Falcetti can tell you everything you’d ever want to know about the accordion and, as the salesman that he is, he would sell you one! Sam’s retail store, Falcetti’s Music, is located in Springfield, Massachusetts. Over the years, the store has expanded and is known for its customer service and instrument repair. Sam has also been a leader within the industry, serving in many organizations and supporting many others.

Mateo Galanti and his family have been instrumental in the growth and development of the accordion and organ industry, both inside and outside the United States. Beginning in the 1950s, the accordion became one of the leading instruments in the industry; however, dealer relations were not yet well organized for imported goods. The Galanti family pioneered these efforts and worked the accordion explosion right into the organ craze of the 1950s and 60s. Mateo developed one of the first portable keyboards, which was the first of many innovations enjoyed by the company.

Frank Green opened his first music retail store in Southern California in 1959 and called it Music For Everyone. He began working in the music industry some 12 years earlier as student enroller in an accordion school. He soon became a teacher for the school and a manager before deciding to open his own store. Frank spent time as a rep for Pacific Music and Music Man for which he wrote a book. In fact, Frank has helped archive the industry’s history in recent years with several books about his career in music. 
 

Jon Hammond has successfully created a career based on his musical talents and his passion for the music industry! As a musician Jon has performed with many legendary players and as a clinician and product artist he has introduced many innovative products to music stores and their customers over the last 30 plus years. Jon is closely identified with the two main products of his career, the Excelsior Accordion and the Digital B3 Organ.

Frank Huang joined the Hohner Harmonica Company along with his brother, famed Chinese performer Cham-Ber Huang, to design a specialized harmonica. Frank’s understanding of the developmental process of musical instruments and his vast knowledge of Chinese/American relations led to the establishment of Huang International in Long Island, New York. The company has gained a reputation for pioneering Chinese exports with strong and consistent quality and with respected dealer relations. Frank also worked long and hard to establish fair and long term commerce and trade practices between the Chinese and American governments.