1960s: Expansion and Innovation
1960
In 1960, a new location was added in Perryton, Texas.
1962
After Louis passed away in 1962, Bill and Glenn Tarpley assumed management of the company. Under their leadership, the company expanded its offerings to include stereo equipment, guitars, and church organs.
1966
In 1966, Bill and Glenn purchased the assets of Jenkins Music in Amarillo from General Electric Credit Corporation and opened Tarpley Music in that location. Given the substantial business opportunities in Amarillo compared to Perryton, the brothers decided to sell the Perryton store.
1968
In 1968, the Tolzien family, who had operated a successful music store in Amarillo since 1919, approached the brothers about purchasing their retail operation. Bill and Glenn agreed and took over the Tolzien Music name in Amarillo, merging the Tarpley Music store under the Tolzien Music name. Bill moved to Amarillo to manage that operation, while Buz stayed in Pampa to manage the store there and oversee the company's accounting. The Pampa store was relocated from its small 20x80 "shotgun" building to a larger three-story building measuring 75x80.
1970s: Continued Growth
1972
In 1972, Bill and Glenn built a brand new 12,500-square-foot building in Amarillo along Interstate 40, further solidifying their presence in the area.
1980s: The Fourth Generation Joins
1984
After graduating from West Texas State University, Bill's son David joined the company full-time in 1984, working at the Amarillo location.
1986
In 1986, Tarpley Music was approached by the Electric Ear Music Store, a combo-only store in Lubbock, Texas, with an offer to purchase their business. The Tarpleys decided it was a wise move, and David relocated to Lubbock to take over the management of that store.
1989
After graduating from Texas Tech University in 1989, Glenn's son John joined the company full-time. He relocated from Lubbock to Pampa to manage the store there and oversee the company's accounting.
1990s: Expansion into New Markets
1991
In 1991, an opportunity arose in Clovis, New Mexico, allowing the company to add its fourth retail location, a 5,000-square-foot space in downtown Clovis. Bob Smith, a highly respected Tarpley Music employee, relocated from the Pampa store to become the Manager of the Clovis location. This marked the first time someone outside the Tarpley family assumed the role of Store Manager.
1993
The company further diversified by expanding into sound system design and installation, forming a division called Tarpley Media, based in Lubbock, TX. This new division was spearheaded by David Tarpley & Casey McGrew. With a consultant/designer on staff and a dedicated installation team, this expansion was timely, as many churches were upgrading to new technologies.
1995
David and John managed the company's day-to-day operations for several years. With the addition of the fourth location, new challenges necessitated a centralized management team to effectively oversee the growing business. To accommodate this, the company built a 5,000-square-foot warehouse and office facility in Amarillo, where John and David relocated in 1995.
1998
David and John continued the business's gradual expansion by adding a fifth retail location in Wichita Falls, Texas, in 1998. They constructed a brand new 6,500-square-foot building in a burgeoning area to house the full-line store.
2000s: Strategic Growth and Consolidation
2006
When Brook Mays Music filed for bankruptcy in 2006, Tarpley Music was invited to participate in the auction process. During this time, David and John identified a suitable location in San Angelo, Texas, that matched the Tarpley Music business model. In October 2006, they opened a new Tarpley Music in the location vacated by Brook Mays.
2007
With the addition of the San Angelo store and the increasing challenges in the music industry, the Tarpleys took a hard look at their business and decided to eliminate two locations that were not productive to the overall business health. These locations included the Pampa, TX location which was sadly closed in March 2007, and the Wichita Falls, TX location which was closed in June 2007.
2010s: The Fifth Generation Joins and Continued Legacy
2013
In 2013, David’s son Brad joined the company full-time after graduating from West Texas A&M University, continuing the family legacy into the Fifth Generation of Ownership. Brad would oversee the company's branding and marketing.
2016
Opened store in Waco, Texas
2019
Wes Sutton is named General Manager of Tarpley Music, marking the first time someone outside the Tarpley family has taken on the role overseeing all day-to-day retail store operations.
After five years of serving Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex schools with a remote Education Specialist, Chaz Branch, the Tarpley Music Leadership Team identified an opportunity to plant a location in the DFW Metroplex. They decided to open a new music store in Burleson, TX. Construction of this location began in the winter of 2019, with plans to open to the public in March 2020.
2020s: The Modern Era
2020
With the opening of the Burleson location approaching quickly, Brad relocated to Fort Worth to assume management of that store. The store opened in March 2020, but unfortunatly this was two weeks before the start of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Despite restrictions, Tarpley Music's ties to Music Education in schools allowed us to stay open and offer curbside service to customers.
2022
A YouTube channel is launched, featuring James Gilliland as the host.
2023
After three years of serving Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex schools more effectively through the Burleson location, the Tarpley Music Leadership Team responded to repeated requests from schools and existing clients for a closer, full-service presence in the Dallas market. After the closure and liquidation of Lone Star Percussion, we saw a hole in the market and decided that it was time to move forward with a new location and chose Plano, TX as the destination. The Plano location was opened in April of 2023.
This Plano, TX location is unique, functioning as a hybrid between Music Education Services & Support and a full-service Woodwind & Brasswind Instrument Repair Shop. It is not set up as a traditional retail storefront.
2024
A second YouTube channel is launched that focuses on Music Education, Band & Orchestra Instruments, as well as Marching Band.
We are thrilled to announce that in November 2024, we will be relocating from our current Plano, TX location to an exciting new traditional retail storefront in Frisco, TX!
Today: A Century of Musical Excellence
Today, Tarpley Music continues to be a cornerstone of the music industry, offering a wide range of musical instruments, sound systems, and educational services. With a commitment to excellence and a rich history of service, Tarpley Music remains dedicated to fostering a love of music in the communities we serve.
In 2024, we are celebrating 97 years in business. That's 97 amazing years! As we approach our 100th anniversary we're looking back on the fact that we couldn't have reached this milestone without the support of our communities in Texas and New Mexico. Your unwavering support has enabled us to keep serving those who live, work, and love music.
We are beyond grateful for the opportunities that have allowed us to grow from a small-town Texas Panhandle shop into the largest and oldest single-family-owned independent musical instrument retail company in both Texas and New Mexico.
