Bruce Bannister
Video
Oral History Information
Interview Date
Job Title
Former President
Company Name
Samuel Music
Bruce Bannister is the current president of Samuel Music in Effingham, Illinois. The store was formed in the 1940s by Lowell Samuel, the band director turned music industry pioneer. Bruce was interviewed in the store and recalled working closely with Lowell as well as Dean Samuel, Lowell’s son and the company’s CEO. Bruce began working with the store in the early 1970s at the height of the home organ boom and provided his thoughts as to the great growth of the product as well as its steep and sudden decline a decade later. Bruce attributes the success of Samuel Music to their dedicated staff and strong focus on customer service.