Swing City Music

Joe Reynolds was born in the small, close-knit farming town of Vandalia in southern Illinois in 1938. His father owned a bustling radio and television store, also offering an eclectic mix of records and other small goods. Growing up in the store, Joe became an ace salesman, quickly mastering the art of persuasion, a position he thoroughly enjoyed and excelled at. Joe was told about an opportunity for a sales job at Midco International, a prominent music wholesaler company in nearby Effingham, just 30 miles east of town.

Art Risavy Jr. studied business in college and initially worked in a bank before returning to the family business, Swing City Music, which his father had founded just a few years before Art was born. Working closely alongside his father, Art Sr., he played a pivotal role in the store's growth and oversaw the expansion of the church and pro-audio departments.

Art Risavy Sr. has always been deeply fascinated with music. In 1964, he had the visionary idea of converting an old, abandoned bowling alley into a thriving music store in southern Illinois, and thus, Swing City Music was born. Fittingly, his son and future business partner was born a few years later, setting the stage for a family legacy.