Big Poppa
Well-known member
Hey kids
Here is a little history for you. I've been thinking a lot about my Dad lately. I guess that never goes away.
This is a photo of my dad in 1954 outside his teaching studio. He sold electric guitars there and taught all day. He was 24 in this photo. He even had accordion lessons (but he didn't teach them.
My father was a self taught man and a natural teacher. Many say he taught more great guitarists than any teacher in LA. His Phase one books have sold in the multi millions. He made learning fun. He even taught Karate for a while.
He was driven and focused. He always looked at thing sharply. Jim Dunlop still says the shortest distance between two points is Ernie Ball.......
How many young men put it all on the line with a passion and an itch knowing that somehow they could get the public to scratch........My Dad had no idea back then that he would make guitars or change the way strings are packaged and marketed industry wide. He didn't have a clue that he would create a product that is the biggest constant in the creation of popular music......Slinky's. From the Stones to the Beatles Beach Boys Hendrix,Zeppelin and through today. He went on a journey that always began with the passion and love of the guitar and a different way of leaping over the hurdles of young entrepreneurship.
He loved it so much that he had to teach it. He had to teach it because at that time he had two mouths to feed and was fresh out of the Air Force with no college education and about 5 bucks in his pocket. When he started teaching it he realized that he needed better books. Books that had graphic representations to reinforce the written word.
During the day he would teach and do sessions and at night he would play on live TV on KTLA in Los Angeles..from western swing shows to big bands to a crazy guy named Esquivel...(google that guy..wow)
He then realized that there was very little guitar music and what existed was buried in music distributors catalog...He got the idea for Ball Music Publishing. "Hey how about a onestop for all your guitar music needs?" He went broke. Flat ass broke. I remember it being in the back of s garage addition and being about 6 (1961) and throwing it into trash cans.....Yeah that is my first memory of my dad and business. Hard to believe but I really do remember.
He went broke in 1958 too....Moved the store and teaching studio to a nice storefront on Ventura BLvd in Tarzana Califrnia. Realize that there was no freeway connecting the Valley then. It was the country for all intents and purposes. May 18, 1958.
My little sister Nova was born and my dad had a store full of Fender stuff that Tommy Walker fronted my dad as a show of faith. My Mom went into labor and my dad rushed to the hospital and didnt call the insurance guy yet. Everytime and I mean everytime we were out and about when the store was closed we had to do the circle and check it out. I was at home and three at the time but my dad did the circle and the store was wiped out...Robbed....done.
Leo and Tommy filled the store again and told him to pay it when he could. He paid every penny back. I learned from my Dad that it is a good thing to help when you can. Tommy Walker did.
Ill fill in some blanks later but to show what goes around comes around fast forward to Tommy Walker (use search function to learn about the Great Tommy.) CBS bought Fender. Forced the pioneers out like Tommy...even Leo. Tommy had designed some amps in his garage and secretly designed the preamp for Leo's new basses and guitars.
That became Music Man.
It was our turn to help. My dad gave them Dan Norton to build their trade show displays. I gave them R&D, artist relations and every possible resource I had. I set up the original accessories and sources including strings even though Frank Green claims to have started it.....Frank managed and developed the program (the accessories went nowhere) but I started it
The fecal matter hit the fan with the partners and Tommy was forced to either sue Leo and win or move on. Ive said this before ...I asked Tommy why he didn't sue Leo and he said..."That's not the way my Dad taught me"
We bought Music Man at a bank ordered auction in 1984. Tommy came to work for us and had a job until he didn't want one. Rode his bike to work everyday and finally passed away less than a mile from our company...
Tommy was always proud of my Dad and especially proud of his godkids as he and Pat never had kids.
This is a tribute to my dad and an appreciation for Tommy and hopefully a lesson to all that you never know where passion and drive will lead.
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