Tributes submitted by the many Friends of Bob

Bob gave me my first job as a music (drums) teacher. He was a nurturer that allowed me to make mistakes, accept them, and grow from them. I feel Bob instilled in me and all his teachers the feeling that being a teacher was a higher calling and one worth any effort, no matter how great. His love of students was infectious and it proved to me that being a great teacher meant being a great human being. Bob was both. Thank you, Bob, for showing me my true calling.

Rob Smith, a teacher for Bob

Bob loved music and he loved people. This love was evident in everything that he did. He was not a money person and yet all that knew him soon became his friends. That speaks volumes about his integrity. I first met Bob in Mt. Airy through a mutual friend. I was thrilled to find someone who loved music as much as I do and a friendship began that would last for 35 years. At his urging I began to teach at the Music Shoppe even though I considered myself a player at that time. Teaching at Bob's store was a job that others could only dream about, doing something that I love and getting paid for it. The bonus was being with Bob and talking about music or anything we liked. I miss Bob and all the fun we had together but I'll never forget him and the positive way he influenced my life.

Joe Posimo

In 1983 I was studying classical guitar up the street at Settlement, and learning Gary Davis songs from Eric Lygosch on Mt. Pleasant Ave.

Some friends I played rock and roll with turned me on to his store. Bob was awesome. Always up and brimming with positive energy. I remember he had these color-coded paperclip things he gave out to be redeemed later as coupons. Years later I went back with some I had found and we had a laugh over them. And now, here's the thing... he still gave me a discount because I had kept them for so long.

Well, although we only saw each other occasionally, he made a lasting impression on me as an example of how one can live a rich and full life doing what one loves, and impacting the lives of others in a positive and helpful way. I'm a much better person for having known him.

Chris Buchanan

My daughter is interested in the guitar and I was telling her about my guitar teacher that I had when I was younger and looked Bob up on the computer. That is when I found out that he passed away. I am so sorry for your loss. I just wanted to let you know that I started taking guitar lessons from Bob when I was 8 years old from 1974 to 1979. Every Wednesday I would come home from school and he would be waiting to give me my lesson. After he left my house, he went to my cousin's house around the block from mine and would give lessons to my cousins. Two other friends in the neighborhood also received lessons from Bob. He was very popular in my Northeast Philadelphia neighborhood. I would slack off on practicing during the week and Bob would always ask me how much I practiced because he knew I didn't like to. He knew how to solve that problem. He would let me pick out the songs that I liked and wanted to learn how to play so that I would practice. The Entertainer still stands out as part of practice. I can still see us sitting at the dining room table and him writing my homework for the week. I remember him always joking around. He would tell me stories about the people he played with and some of the professional musicians that he knew. I used to brag about him to all my friends in school. He cared so much for the children that he taught and would let you know about all of them. He had a big heart and touched so many lives.

Ann-Margaret Litchko Klineburger

I'm sitting here in an apartment in Paris with my wife, our two kids in bed and three guitars in the living room. And I'm thousands of miles and many years away from a memory that's got me misty eyed.

My sister just sent me a link to your online tribute to Bob.

God, it all seems like such a long time ago. Maybe... what... 25 years or more? I could say that I was one of the countless kids that would drift through Bob's store, but I know the Bob that you wrote about and I'll bet that, as much chance as I gave him, he didn't forget me or any of the others that came through there.

In high school, I would go there with my sister. And we would sit and poke around and talk. I might buy some strings or maybe a handful of picks. Only twice did I actually spend a fair sized amount of money there, first on an acoustic bass made in Japan (I ended up giving it to a close friend of mine -- and it's now in the hands of his children, after he died in a car crash) and then on a pinewood Yamaha guitar.

"Literally," Bob told me, "It was owned by a grandmother who only played it on Sundays. At church, I think."

I didn't have enough money to pay the price on the tag, and tried to negotiate a better one. Bob came back with a price well below what I offered. I tried to tell him that wasn't how the bargaining was supposed to work, but he'd have none of it. He wanted me to have the guitar. And I loved that thing. Played it all through college. I don't think I ever picked it up without thinking of Bob.

Of course, I met him years before he had the store, when he was still running the apartment. I'd gone with my mother to pick up my sister from a lesson. We stayed there for what must have been an hour, just talking. Sometime later, he had a slumber party for students. He would invite them over to play their guitars in what must have been one big cacophonous mess.

I never went but remember hearing stories about the phenomenal Greg Davis, from Beru Revue -- I hope I've got this legend right -- who was one of Bob's students and who used to play guitar into a tape recorder then play it back and match it note for note.

My sister and I both spent so much time there. And any time I'm in the States and driving past that end of Germantown Avenue, I always look over to see what's there in what will always be Bob's old spot. He's the example of someone who doesn't need to make a lot of money or storm the headlines or even make a lot of noise to achieve greatness and influence beyond measure.

Best of luck with the memorial event on October 3.

I can't be there, since we're overseas, but I'd be happy to contribute to the funding in any way I can.

John Forde

No matter what was going on in his life, Bob always had time to help you with a problem weather it would be for an instrument or just advice. He loved people, especially children. He never complained about his problems with his health. He just laughed it off. Even though his joke telling wasn't the best, those words that he spoke always made you smile and got you through the day. I'm still trying to find out what schmeggegy is. Bob had such great wisdom and knowledge about life, people, and was to me the best luthier and repair man I know. He was dedicated to the very end with his help for others and he only yearned to live a simple, uncomplicated life and never asked for help in return. It was an honor to have been a friend and an apprentice under him. I and many others learned so much from him not just in guitar repair, but in life as well. I miss him very much. I'm so lucky to have had the opportunity to learn from him. I will always carry the memories and pass on the knowledge he gave me to others. Love you, Bob.

Dave Fecca

First of all there were the Blow Pops on the counter of the music store. Then the cheap used guitars for sale. I bought the 1960's Harmony Hollywood that he used to play and my twins took care of the Blow Pop supply. One of Bob's motto's was "it’s worth it to keep cheap guitars in good playing condition because many great guitarists began on cheap guitars." He took each guitar repair under his wing whether it belonged to a hospital's music therapy program or to Joan Baez. Her manager contacted him before a Sunday Philadelphia concert for a neck adjustment. Imagine a guitar repair shop open on Sunday afternoon?

Bob, thanks for the friendship, the hours of jokes, the Saturday opera radio shows, the free repairs, and most of all the Blow Pops that sent the message, "think of the children first."

Paul Nolan, M.C.A.T., MT-BC, LPC
Director, Music Therapy Programs
Hahnemann Creative Arts in Therapy Program Drexel University

I would like to send my condolences and deepest sympathy to Bob's family. Bob was an inspiration and an incredibly warm and generous man. Bob was mentor to my husband, Dave Fecca. Dave did an apprenticeship with Bob for a year or more and Bob taught him not only how to repair a guitar, but was a mentor in his life. They shared stories, life experiences, and Bob was ALWAYS there to listen and to guide. His spirit always made us feel better about life and about ourselves. He was an amazing man and will be sorely missed. He made the world a better place then when he found it. We feel blessed to have know him and been his friend. God bless Bob Zatzman.

Love,
April Iorio Fecca

When I was 11 years old I had my first guitar lesson. Since it was almost a half century ago, I didn't remember it. But a few years ago, a friend of the family who was there told me the story of how Bob played some great Classical guitar music and some Flamenco, some chord melodies and some folk music and then asked me what kind of music I wanted to play. I told him I wanted to play like Duane Eddy. His face sunk but he said, "I'll teach you some of that and then you might want to play some other things." He was sure right about that.

John Berns, guitarist, educator & therapist

When I first moved to Mt. Airy, as a musician, of course it didn't take me long to discover Bob's shop. I would go in and visit with him and we'd chat about everything or nothing in particular. Bob was someone I could count on for a friendly conversation for a few minutes. I was also looking around for other musicians to play with in the area and he recommended several names and gave me phone numbers. I recall that I didn't pursue them at the time (can't recall why), but years later discovered that they were (or turned into) some of the top jazz players in Philly. A few years later on, when I formed Beats Walkin', Bob was very supportive, always willing to put our posters on his wall to advertise our shows at the Mermaid Inn, or any other place we'd be playing. I also recall that his shop was a haven for young, adolescent skateboarders. A place to gather, talk shop, buy supplies, and stay off the street -- except, of course, when they were really ON the street.

Bob was a true mensch. I tip my hat to him and am honored to be asked to bring back the original members of Beats Walkin' to play at his Memorial Event on Oct. 3rd.

Jim Cohen
Beats Walkin'

I’ve known Bob since he taught me to string my first guitar, and I considered him a close friend. Last year I asked Bob if I could take a look at one of his musical compositions, and he copied out his piece “Columns”, which I’ve attached. I wondered if you’d like to post it on this site, as I’m sure everyone who knew Bob would be interested.

David Pym

Bob was my first guitar teacher when I was 11 years old, 49 years ago. He was an inspiration. His enthusiasm for music, life and ideas inspired me to become a musician, music teacher and eventually a music therapist. He taught me so much, not only about music, getting me to love Bach and Jazz when I started out only listening to rock and roll, but also, about life, politics, philosophy, there wasn't anything we couldn't or didn't talk about.. Over these almost 50 year, Bob remained a true friend and an inspiration. I miss our times together. I miss him. And I'm so glad he was such a big part of my life.

John M. Berns, PhD, LPC, MT-BC

When I first moved to Mt. Airy, as a musician, of course it didn't take me long to discover Bob's shop. I would go in and visit with him and we'd chat about everything or nothing in particular. Bob was someone I could count on for a friendly conversation for a few minutes. I was also looking around for other musicians to play with in the area and he recommended several names and gave me phone numbers. I recall that I didn't pursue them at the time (can't recall why), but years later discovered that they were (or turned into) some of the top jazz players in Philly. A few years later on, when I formed Beats Walkin', Bob was very supportive, always willing to put our posters on his wall to advertise our shows at the Mermaid Inn, or any other place we'd be playing. I also recall that his shop was a haven for young, adolescent skateboarders. A place to gather, talk shop, buy supplies, and stay off the street -- except, of course, when they were really ON the street.

Bob was a true mensch. I tip my hat to him and am honored to be asked to bring back the original members of Beats Walkin' to play at his Memorial Event on Oct. 3rd.

Jim Cohen
Beats Walkin'

I [was] a student of [Bob's] when I was a kid in Mt. Airy (I'm 51 now). I'm so sorry that my wife and I will be in California when you will be having Bob's tribute, but he will be in our hearts that day and always. My wife and kids didn't know Bob nearly as long as I had, but they all were fortunate enough to know him and were very fond of him (who wouldn't be?). My parents also appreciated him, and they told me some of the things they remembered about Bob that I didn't recall when I told them that he had passed away. While I think some parents didn't know what to make of Bob, mine knew that his heart was in the right place and how much I got from him during my childhood years.

Bob was one of the very few truly outstanding people I have had the good fortune to meet in my life and he will never be forgotten. He was always "his own person" and I admired him for that. When he operated the apartment building on McCallum Street, he gave a lot of kids the opportunity to play with other guitar students that we otherwise would never had had. He pretty much taught my entire neighborhood the guitar in the 1960s. My only regret is that I didn't get to see him in his last year to be able to pay my respects to him while he was still alive, but I think he left knowing how many hearts he touched with his.

I feel lucky to have known Bob for so many years. I don't think I will ever meet another person quite like him, and I hope I let him know that during my visits to his shop over the years.

Eric Goosenberg

I knew him (sic) since 1976. He always had a smile and was a pleasure to meet, whether on the Avenue or at his shop. He certainly did a lot for guitar players in and around Chestnut Hill and Mt.Airy.

Kitty Kelly~Albrecht, Musician, Violin/Fiddle and Irish Folklorist

I have known Bob since I was a teenager. He was a wonderful man. . .

Musically Yours, Monnette

When I first moved from Center City to Mt. Airy around 1993, I was delighted to find Bob's music store. I'm a music store junky. I bought guitar strings and picks, and harmonicas, and piano music. Later, after he "retired" and moved the store around back, I had him upgrade one of my resonator guitars from a cheap Korean import, to something that sounded almost as good as the best handmade American models. He did some of the work in his kitchen, using his stove top as a work bench. He was fascinated with my resonator guitars, which are a Southern thing, and not very common around here. I always enjoyed having a reason to drop in on him so we could talk for awhile about music and instruments and world history - nothing at all like shopping with the kids who run Guitar Center.

To those who were fortunate enough to know him, he was a Northwest Philly institution. He will be greatly missed.

David Doggett
Pedal Steel Guitar, resonator slide guitars, harmonica, sax, keyboards
The Philadelphia Blues Messengers