Tony Buffalo retired in 2023 after a distinguished career as a district manager for Guitar Center. His father was a trumpet player and leader of a swing band called Vito Buffalo & His...
Mel Graner was a school band director for nearly 30 years--it was in his blood and he very much enjoyed each class. When the school district let him go to hire a younger teacher, he was ...
Don Hilsberg fell in love with the harp when he was in the third grade and was taken to the symphony. His parents could not afford a harp, so young Don began taking organ and piano lesson...
Lucien Hut dedicated his entire career to teaching, selling, restoring and designing the piano! As a retailer he established Pianos International in Colorado. He later moved to Montana ...
Patrick Jacobson, along with his friends and fellow Roper Music employees Seth Strickland and Kris Kjeldgaard, became owners of the store in 2019. Their mentor and teacher, John Handley, ...
Kris Kjeldgaard finished her degree with a music major and a minor in business and went job seeking. She was not sure what the direction of her career would take and in fact, looking back...
David Kolacny has a remarkable family history steeped in bringing music to others. His grandfather took over a small music store in Denver in 1930 and since that time the store and its st...
Debra Kolacny began playing the organ at the age of eight, not knowing a life of music was ahead of her. She joined her junior high school band as a percussionist and in high school focus...
Bruce Mihalek has played the piano since he was just eight years old. When he saw the Beatles on TV, Bruce purchased a guitar and formed his own band. The band was the Animals Fax of Lyfe...
Liane Rockley gained a degree in flute performance in New York before moving to Denver, where she taught music at a local music store. The storeowner, Bob Rockley, who would become her fa...
Robert Rockley took over the music store that his parents had started in Denver, Colorado. Bob, along with his wife Nina, expanded the products they carried while he focused on growing th...
Nina Rockley has been a strong force in the success of Rockley Music in Denver, Colorado. Soon after marrying the store's president, Robert, she brought her business knowledge to music re...
Saul Rosenthal has been driven by two ideals, equal rights for all people and supporting music and music makers whenever possible! After earning his Ph.D., Saul taught sociology at the co...
Bob Rupp was on his way to Hollywood to make his name as a session player when his car broke down in Denver. The year was 1979 and Bob never left Denver. Without a job, Bob played aroun...
Jim Semeizer started playing saxophone when he was a kid and went on the road with the Les Brown Orchestra in 1962 for two and a half years. He learned repairs from his father, who was a ...
Johnny Smith! What can you say about meeting not only your personal hero but also a hero to thousands in our own industry! Johnny Smith was in person what he has been on recordings, warm,...
Sondra Blanchard comes to music through theatre. She has worked in regional theatre and internationally as an actor, coach, writer, and director. Over the past 10 years, she has specializ...
Seth Strickland had a wonderful grade school music teacher who was a great inspiration for him. Seth played saxophone throughout high school and in the jazz band. He later performed in a ...
Harry Tuft is a true legend in the world of Folk music! As founder of the Denver Folklore Center, he has provided instruments to music makers of all ages. As a promoter of all things folk...
