Travis Christopherson’s roots in music can be traced back to when his grandfather played country music records for him as a child. As he learned to play the guitar, Travis saw his passion...

Ellen White did not work in the music store her husband Jerry operated for many years and yet her supportive role helped that little retail business grow into the White House of Music cha...

Jerry White and his brothers all played musical instruments growing up on their family farm in Wisconsin. Their father was a professional musician who played in popular dance bands. Jerry...

Lauri Knapton is the founder of Knapton Musik Knotes in Janesville, Wisconsin. The store, which was established in 2000, provides musical instruments, lessons, and a long list of communit...

Al Slivinski was in the third grade when a salesman visited his school with the pitch “you too can be an accordion player!” Al developed great techniques on the accordion that served him ...

Barbara Gensmer established herself as one of the top church organ dealers in the United States, having sold and installed over 1,200 units since the 1970s. She focused on Minnesota and W...

Todd Heid of Heid Music grew up watching the shop operate and found his passion for the business during his high school years. In the early years of Heid Music, the store had a large prod...

DeDe Heid met her husband Todd while selling his music store, Heid Music, their newspaper advertising. After attending numerous NAMM Shows with Todd, as well as other business meetings, D...

Tristann Rieck’s first instrument was the song flute, which was an introduction to the band program in grade school, which she joined the very next year.  She later took up the alto horn ...

Roger Kraft was a pioneer in the retailing of electronic musical instruments such as keyboards and synthesizers in the 1980s.  Many may recall the days of keyboard stores throughout the U...

Lynn White may downplay the role she has played within their family’s music store business, but for all those who have been to White House of Music, her spark and passion for music are ve...

Michael Houser is the Chief Executive Officer for Cascio Interstate Music, which serves both as a brick and mortar store in New Berlin, Wisconsin as well as an internet store.

Connie Smith is the Vice President of Ward-Brodt Music in Madison, Wisconsin. She grew up in music and enjoyed playing music as a young girl, going on to study music in college.  While in...

Tom Merritt is the general manager for The Music Center in Kenosha, Wisconsin and the right hand man for the company's president, Jim Paulsen.  The two have worked side by side for severa...

Jim Paulsen's father opened a small music store in Kenosha to focus on his instrument of choice, the accordion.  When young Jim encouraged his father to expand into guitars, they started ...

Brian Douglas enjoyed a career as a touring musician and songwriter both in rock and in house music, which gives him a unique perspective in understanding several facets of the needs of p...

Chris White is the president of White House of Music, with multiple locations in Wisconsin.  The full line store has a very strong band and orchestra element as they call on many local sc...

Ed Strege is known within the band instrument repair world as “fast Eddie” for his speed at repair and short-cut tricks he has taught members of NAPBIRT for several decades. His classes ...

Ellen McDonald is a passionate music retailer who has strived to create programs and events that encourage her community to take part in active music making. Hartland Music, located in H...

Jim Lo Duca’s father and uncle were the original Lo Duca Brothers, who formed a small music store in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that opened for business on December 1, 1941. Seven days later A...

Roger Leithold recalled moving into the historic building where Leithold Music is located on Fourth Street in La Crosse, Wisconsin during his NAMM Oral History interview. The building was...

Teresa Leithold began teaching music in 1956 and conducted her last lesson just ten days before she passed away at the age of 87 on February 13, 2019. Music was her passion!  While her hu...

Paul Leithold is the fourth generation to run the Leithold Music store, along with his sister Abbie. The La Crosse, Wisconsin-based store was established in 1888 as a piano store and rep...

Abbie Leithold-Gerzema is the co-owner of Leithold Music in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Abbie and her brother also share management duties in the store that their great-grandfather established ...

Peter Heid enjoyed his career playing with many of the dance bands of the 1930s and 1940s in his hometown of Appleton, Wisconsin. After the war, he used his love of music to open a small ...

John LaBouve’s background is in business and marketing. When he married into the Goodell Family, he took a chance at working in his father-in-law’s music store, Goodell Music in Sheboygan...

Fred Melk was born the year his father and grandfather (Philip Sr and Jr) opened a small instrument repair shop in Milwaukee, WI. The year was 1956. Fred’s father became one of the coun...

Ruth Ann Melk recalled the days when her husband’s father would design specialized tools for the repair of musical instruments, which her husband, Phil Jr, soon developed into a full time...

Paul Heid grew up in the music retail world. His father formed Heid Music in Appleton, WI, and Paul along with his brother, Robert, followed in their father’s footsteps. Paul served on se...

David “Bud” Morgan opened his music retail store in 1957 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Since that time Morgan’s Music has become a critical part of the community and the local school music pr...

Roger White’s cousin opened a small music store in Waukesha, Wisconsin, in 1955. His brother, Jerry, ran the store beginning in 1961 and changed the name to the White House of Music.  Rog...