Buzz Tarpley
Video
Oral History Information
Interview Date
Birth Date
Deceased Date
Job Title
Co-Founder
Company Name
Tarpley Music
Buzz Tarpley grew up in the music business. His grandmother was selling pianos as early as 1917 in West Texas. The Tarpley family officially opened a music store in 1927 in Pampa, Texas. Buzz recalled growing up in the late 1930s and 40s and the many radio sets his father would sell. He also remembers loading and unloading many a piano as a teenager, before entering the business after finishing school. Buzz and his older brother Bill were equal owners in the business which expanded to several locations including Lubbock and Amarillo. His son and nephew took over the business when Buzz retired in the 1990s.