Edward Garbett

Edward Garbett was the founder of the Progressive Music store in McKeesport Pennsylvania in the years following World War II.  He worked for Gretsch as Educational Director and a decade later was hired by Yamaha and oversaw the company’s growing school band programs throughout the 1960s and 70s.  One of his first employees at Progressive Music was the instrument repairman William Schultz, who got his start in the industry thanks to Ed.  When Mr. Schultz became the CEO of Fender Musical Instruments and moved the company from California to Arizona, Ed moved too.  The two remained li

William Schultz turned the struggling Fender Musical Instrument Corporation into an industry leader after purchasing the famed guitar company from CBS in 1985. Born in McKeesport, PA on July 30, 1926, he began playing the saxophone professionally before World War II and then opened his own musical instrument repair business within the Progressive Music store. He later joined Yamaha Musical Products Co., rising to president before being lured to CBS Musical Instruments, a division of the broadcasting company. He served many roles within the industry including on the boards the Amer

Helen Tozzi was hired to set up the accounting for a new music store that was opening in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Progressive Music opened in 1947 and Helen was there on opening day. She recalled Ed Garbett, the famous band director and founder of Progressive Music, as a warm and understanding man. Helen also had vivid memories of the store’s band instrument repairman, Bill Schultz, who later became an industry icon as CEO of Fender Musical Instruments.