Music Retail

Skip Buss played trumpet for several big bands on the road and in local hotel ballrooms during the great Swing Era of the 1940s.  He decided to leave the road when his son was born at which time he gigged at local clubs and ballrooms at night and worked for a small music retailer by day.  He joined Central Music Academy in Memphis in 1955.  He developed a great working knowledge of violins and soon became the store's expert.  Skip was given the chance to buy the store, which he did, and he continued to run it until 1996 when the store was closed.  At the time, he sold much of his

Stan Buswell had owned and operated several businesses when his teenage son, John, took an interest in the drums. Stan decided to open a small shop, which his son helped establish in Pittsburgh, and they called it Drum World. John took a few years to pursue his musical career after school and later returned to the store to partner with his father, forming a strong and lasting partnership. Stan was always in the background of the business but agreed to participate in a NAMM Oral History interview to share his unique perspective on the industry, which he had come to love.

John Buswell was a 16-year-old drummer in the school band when his father, Stan, decided to open a drum shop.  The year was 1976. The city was Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  The store was called Drum World.  John took a few years to pursue his musical career after school and returned to the store to partner with his father--a strong partnership to this day!  The store became the hub for drummers in and around the city and was one of the first e-commerce and brick and mortar businesses in the music industry.

Joe Butkevicius became a flute specialist as an instrument repairman. Over the years Joe worked in music retail, for Pearl Flutes and now is employed by KHS.  Joe has also been very active with NAPBIRT, the National Association of Professional Band Instrument Repair Technicians.  In addition to its newsletter and regional meetings, the association offers training classes and exhibits during its annual conferences. It was at the 2015 annual conference in Normal, Illinois where Joe was interviewed for the NAMM Oral History program.

Tony Butler credits his father, Bill Butler’s passion for music—he was an Irish tenor—as the foundation for the family’s deep love of music. All of the Butler children became musicians: Tony’s brother Jack is a well-known guitarist in San Diego playing for many years with Jerry Raney in Glory and then with Bratz and Private Domain. His sister, Margie performs with a long-established Celtic band “The Golden Bough.” Tony first picked up the guitar in the fourth grade after Jack showed him a few chords, beginning a lifelong love affair with the instrument.

Domingos Caeiro has always been interested in the mechanics of brass and woodwind instruments. He received training in Paris and moved to Portugal in the hopes of establishing his career. When he found it difficult to find work in other shops, he decided to open up his own. Slowly his workshop evolved into a musical instrument store with an instrument repair workshop in the back. In addition to his store and repair shop, Domingos started an apprenticeship program to teach the craft to others. Over his 30-plus years in business, Domingos has taught many technicians and continues to

DW Caffey was very young when he found himself enamored with the piano.  In 1940, when he was just fifteen years old, DW taught himself how to tune pianos.  He read a book and asked an old time tuner a few questions and was soon hired by a music store.  He worked for several piano stores in Mississippi during his long career including Allegrezza Pianos in Ridgeland, where he was interviewed in 2012.  He never let his blindness limit him and in fact he proudly taught others his craft at the Mississippi School for the Blind for over 32 years.  At the time of the interview DW had bee

Paulo Caius played music as a child and enjoyed each chance he had to work with fellow musicians. When the chance came to open his own music store, Paulo jumped at it. Caius Music, located in Portugal, opened in 1980 and launched Paulo into the music industry. However, as he later discovered, he preferred music distribution. He decided to close the store and focused on wholesale-distribution. Those efforts led to his position as President with Roland’s new operation in Portugal.  

O’Lyn Callahan has played the piano since she was eight years old and started on organ at age twelve after receiving a Hammond B3 from her father. She came in third place at a Yamaha organ competition in 1973 (which took place at a NAMM Show) which resulted in her getting a job as a touring organ artist for Yamaha. After her long career playing organ, O’Lyn and her husband opened O’Lyn Callahan’s Piano & Organ Center in Sarasota, Florida. After a fifteen-year run with her own store and experience serving on the NAMM Board of Directors, O’Lyn started working as a touring artist

William Callaway worked in his father’s music store as a child, sweeping up on weekends and working his way up to president of Thearle Music in San Diego. His father, Harry, was President of NAMM from 1951-1953. William recalled the pride his father had in being involved with the industry that he loved. William ran the store for his father and expanded the sheet music department as well as the rental program within the band instrument department. William developed MS just before his father’s passing in 1976.

Paul Calvin feels that his experience as a music retailer, including several years with Schmitt Music in Minnesota, has been helpful in his role as Vice President and General Manager of the Keyboard Division of Yamaha. Having a background in retail plays an important part in working with music dealers and providing the customer service that he knows will work for the retailers in providing the Yamaha products to music stores.  

Joe Campana returned from serving in World War II to his native Oakland, California, with a dream-–and the GI Bill. While taking business classes, Joe established Campana Music in nearby Lafayette in 1947.

Mark Campbell is the Manager of the Guitar Center in Nashville. He began his music retail career in Knoxville and came to Nashville in 2005. Among the unique elements of his store are the location and the great number of working musicians he hires who have the passion and knowledge to assist their customers at a deep and meaningful level. Mark has worked for Gibson, Crafters of Tennessee and luthier Jimmy Rushing, where he assisted with restoration and set-ups of guitars. Because Mark loves guitars, it really is important to him that he and his staff find the right one for each pe

Michael Campion has attended the NAMM Show since the late 1970s, first as a wide-eyed musician, then as a retailer and finally as an exhibitor. Tracing his evolving roles at the show mirrors his fascinating career in the music industry. Playing in garage bands led to his involvement with songwriting and composing jingles, which led to working in a music store. Michael formed a team that opened LAB Sound (Home of Tone was their slogan), which branched out into three retail locations in Southern California. The store’s focus was rack systems for heavy metal bands in the 1980s.

Paul Campion developed a rich passion for opera and classical music as a youngster.  He later wrote about singing and music that has been very meaningful to him throughout his life.  While a fan and an expert of music, Paul also worked in the music industry as his profession. Paul played an active role in the development of the musical instrument sales at the famed Harrods department store in London.  While he was a salesman, manager and director of the sheet music and general musical instrument departments, it was the piano department that Paul enjoyed the most.

Toby Capalbo formed La Habra Music in Southern California back in 1960. Over the years he built up strong relations with local band directors and created a popular lesson program. When Toby started, the big craze was accordions and he worked hard to bring his customers the high quality products they requested. Throughout the years he focused on customer service and insisted that all of his employees take the time to listen to the customer’s needs before rushing for a sale. Today this approach to business is being carried on by his son and his grandson, both of whom work in the

Perry Capalbo spent many years working with his dad, Nate, at the family music store, Downey Music.  Downey Music was opened by Nate Capalbo when he left La Habra Music, which was founded by his brother, Toby Capalbo, who was interviewed by the NAMM Oral History program in 2010.  Perry and his brother Mike were present at the 2017 NAMM Show where they were presented with a plaque to commemorate Nate’s service to the music products industry. 

Mike Capalbo worked as manager at Downey Music which was started by his dad, Nate Capalbo.  The family owned and operated, Downey Music was established in 1952 when Nate left La Habra Music.  Mike recalls how his father, Nate, used his passion for music and some financial help from his parents, to start the store which initially sold records and eventually expanded to include the sales of musical instruments.

Bernie Capicchiano was coached from the Accounting world to manage a new music retail store for the Brash Group in Australia in 1973.His long career in the industry includes a strong relationship with the Hammond-Suzuki Company as well as Johannus Organs, Schimmel, Hailun and Bernstein Pianos. Bernie opened his own store in October 1977, Bernies Music Land in a shopping mall. Over the years he has developed a number of very impressive education and merchandising programs to encourage music making at all levels.

Bob Carbone is the co-founder of the Piano & Organ Center in Syracuse, New York. The store has a reputation for their quality products as well as creative lesson programs, which are offered to all of their customers. Bob entered the music industry with a letter he wrote while in the US Army to music retailer Bob Popyk, who not only hired the soon to be discharged soldier but met him at the airport upon his return to New York. The two worked together for 11 years before Bob Popyk sold his store to take his own musical career in a new direction.

Richard Carlson spoke in a soft and sincere tone when he described the family atmosphere of working at Wurlitzer in DeKalb, Illinois. Dick joined the company—famous for proclaiming “Wurlitzer Means Music to Millions”—as a sales representative in 1955, traveling to music retail stores to fulfill their product needs. He reflected, “Wherever I went, I always felt I had the backing of the people in the office. Those employees were just like my brothers and sisters, just like my children. I cared for them and they cared for me.

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.  

Don Carr has fond memories of his father, an electronics enthusiast, recording him sing as a young kid. He played a number of instruments in school as his parents were always supportive of his musical interests. He was playing a regular club gig at the age of 15.  After college at Belmont in Nashville, Don became a studio musician and landed a sweet gig playing with the Oak Ridge Boys. He toured and recorded with the Oak Ridge Boys for 23 years, playing in the White House and around the world. In 2014, Don joined the Sweetwater team when Mark Hornsby called him asking Don to join

Lauren Carr discovered her love of music in middle school when she began playing the flute, inspired by the sounds of her mother singing in church. Those early musical memories shaped her path, leading her to earn a degree in music education. Always curious about how things worked, Lauren developed a passion for the technical side of music and attended instrument repair school, turning her natural talent for tinkering into a rewarding career. She often jokes that it started with taking her own flute apart to fix small leaks—and grew into a lifelong dedication to helping others mak

Susan Carson opened her first music store, Taylor Guitar Shop, at just 18 years old in Johnson, Tennessee. Taylor Guitar Shop became the local hangout spot for bluegrass pickers and those looking to jam every Saturday. Susan sold the store when she married her husband, Bill Carson, and he took a job in California with Fender. In 1985, Susan became a district sales manager with Fender and then was instrumental during the process of working with Fender to develop the Leo Banjo. Susan currently chairs a council on Bluegrass and Country at East Tennessee State University in her hometo

Harry Carter was already a school band director when he opened a music store in Ottumwa, Iowa. The year was 1948 when Harry and two partners set out to develop a store specializing in customer service for band directors. As the store grew, Harry hired college friends and several buddies from his army days over a dozen men in fact.

Christie Carter and her husband, Walter, are the proud owners of Carter Vintage Guitars in Nashville, which has a family friendly feeling by design!  Christie wanted to help create a place that would be as welcoming to women musicians just as much as it would be for men, as well as wives and girlfriends who came along for the ride.  She also worked hard to build a solid staff too, each of whom convey her feelings of customer service and respect for each person who walks into the store.

Curt Carter was in the right place at the right time. As a piano dealer, he watched the boom of the home market explode during the late 1960s and 70s. He pooled his resources, teamed with organ suppliers and established Organ Exchange. The chain of retail stores, particularly those which dominated the California market, changed the entire face of the organ market with discounts, promotional sales and musical events free to the public. Organ Exchange became a highly successful company based on the method of selling and advertising, which was created by Curt and later enhanced by Ro

Thomas Case provided a tour of the Case Brothers Piano Company before our interview. He proudly pointed to a logo of the company when his great grandfather began tuning pianos in 1904. Tom’s grandfather opened a retail store in 1930 in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The business is located in a wonderful old mansion, which not only includes showrooms, but a museum of vintage instruments, many of which are over 100 years old.  

Tom Catalano opened his music retail store in New Hyde Park, NY after years of teaching and playing guitar professionally. In fact, he was being paid to play guitar professionally while still a teenager. Opening in 1961, Catalano Music became a powerhouse for band instruments sales and a popular center for sheet music, particularly those included in the New York School System’s curriculum.

Bill Causey had a long history of music in his family.  His father was a band director and both his father’s brother and sister were fine musicians.  Bill had great memories of the family dinners being followed by a sing along and music making!  While earning his music education degree he worked for the local newspaper, a job he continued at night after college when he would teach music by day.

Bob Cavanagh was once the president of the famed Boston music retailer EU Wurlitzer (not to be confused with the R. Wurlitzer Piano Company, the Wurlitzer String Company or the Wurlitzer Juke Box Company). Bob's deep passion for music could be traced to his own guitar playing, which had the chops to play with Joe Pass among others. His role at EU Wurlitzer began when the founder was still active and progressed in the eras of his sons and finally when Bob took charge. He left the company several years before it closed. If you wanted to meet a passionate member of the music products