Bob's Biography

Bob was born in Philadelphia, PA. The family moved to Queens, NY when his father bought a house there.

Bob was taking guitar lessons at an early age and took private lessons in guitar, composition and music theory from several instructors over the years. He was teaching by the age of 20 or so.

When he was 22 he was drafted into the Army. He returned to Philadelphia after the family moved there from NY so that his father could run the family business, an apartment building, closer to home. His teaching business grew.

He was teaching all over Northeast Philadelphia and into Montgomery County, and he lived in one of the apartments of the family building when his father passed away in 1973. Bob took on the task of running the apartment house, considering it his responsibility, being the eldest son living nearby. He gave up much of his teaching during that time.

After two years he knew he missed teaching too much, and so the family put the business up for sale. The building was sold and Bob went back to what he knew and loved.

His mother had moved to an apartment in the Haverford area and was showing signs of needing more daily care. Bob suggested that since she needed some more daily care and he always wanted a music store that they should find a place where they could live which also had a storefront. A store at 8024 Germantown Avenue in Chestnut Hill was chosen. This was 1983. It was a good, location since Chestnut Hill was in need of a music store in that area.

Bob became a good neighbor, who took an early part in the Town Watch and continued until very recently, when he became ill. He was involved in Town Watch for about 25 years.

The store was rented to a nail salon several years ago, but Bob continued selling music equipment out of the apartment upstairs. Also, lessons for various instruments were still held in different rooms of the apartment.

Bob got very involved in working with wood over the years and became recognized as a master luthier. He always had a basement workshop where the heavy woodworking equipment was housed. Near the end of his life he was only doing some minor repair work, since advanced carpel tunnel syndrome prevented him from teaching or playing guitar.

He was a prolific reader of music history, anything related to guitars and guitarists and art. When his collection of books was gathered and donated to the Settlement Music School, it was found to number just under 1,000 volumes. When asked which books he wanted brought to him at the nursing home, he answered, “None, I’ve already read them.”