1961 a door-to-door accordion salesman knocked on our front door
Dale's parents took the bait and signed his sister and Dale up for 10 beginner accordion lessons.
A few years later he is still taking lessons and participating in accordion band competitions. The song was "Tea For Two." His band won a first place trophy. He is the only person wearing glasses in this photo. His accordion was a CG-2 Cordovox.
1966
He began teaching accordion and organ students. He was 15 at the time and definitely did not have the skills of a high quality teacher. But, his students stuck with him and won many trophies in the local music competitions.
He began teaching accordion and organ students. He was 15 at the time and definitely did not have the skills of a high quality teacher. But, his students stuck with him and won many trophies in the local music competitions.
The Dale Mathis Group was formed in 1966. They played weddings, bars, clubs, class reunions, dance clubs, TV shows, fire department picnics. The band had various members over the years until Dale moved to Hawaii in 1995.
Several recordings were made. Some still show up today on eBay
In 1969 Dale began his first year of college at the University of Wisconsin, Washington County Campus.
Pipe organ was Dale's performance instrument.
In 1969 Dale began his first year of college at the University of Wisconsin, Washington County Campus.
Pipe organ was Dale's performance instrument.
Two years into accordion lessons, Dale heard a Wurlitzer home organ demo at a County Fair. He was hooked. He begged his parents for a Silvertone organ on display in the local Sears store. He transferred the musical knowledge from his accordion lessons and taught himself the basics of organ.
1969 - A hole-in-the-wall guitar store in Kewaskum, Wisconsin was awarded a Hammond organ franchise, but the owner did not know how to play the organ. So, Dale was hired "on-call" to play product demos whenever an organ customer came in.
1969 - A hole-in-the-wall guitar store in Kewaskum, Wisconsin was awarded a Hammond organ franchise, but the owner did not know how to play the organ. So, Dale was hired "on-call" to play product demos whenever an organ customer came in.
1976
Dale sold his accordion and played organ in the Dale Mathis Group.
1978
Dale purchased the music store where he had been working and renamed the store, Mathis Music. The store sold major brand pianos, home organs, church organs, guitars, sheet music. The store's teachers taught thousands of students.
Dale sold his accordion and played organ in the Dale Mathis Group.
1978
Dale purchased the music store where he had been working and renamed the store, Mathis Music. The store sold major brand pianos, home organs, church organs, guitars, sheet music. The store's teachers taught thousands of students.
Newspaper ad before the store name was changed to Mathis Music.
Home organs were the #1 product line to handle if retailers wanted to make big money in the 1950s - 1980s.
Today, all the home organ companies have gone out of business. The portable keyboard and changes in musical tastes are usually blamed for the demise of that business.
Home organs were the #1 product line to handle if retailers wanted to make big money in the 1950s - 1980s.
Today, all the home organ companies have gone out of business. The portable keyboard and changes in musical tastes are usually blamed for the demise of that business.
Late 1980s - 1995 Dale developed a floppy disk based teaching system used with the Yamaha Electone organs. As a result, Mathis Music became the largest Midwest dealer for Yamaha organs. In the photo, Dale is seated at the $65,000 Yamaha ELX-1 at a local park. He played summer evening concerts in the park to promote his organ business.
Dale had had an eye condition called Chalazions for years. The red bumps inside his eye lids scratched his corneas when he blinked. By 1995 his vision had deteriorated to legally blind and the sores had taken out his tear ducts. Dale had a driver license vision renewal exam coming up that he knew he could not pass. An eye doctor suggested he move to a warm, moist climate to make his eyes more comfortable, so he sold Mathis Music. He and his wife, Joy, moved to the Hawaiian island of Kauai. The Healing gods of Hawaiian relaxation did their job while they were living on Kauai's North Shore. The chalazions disappeared, never to return, but an unexpected side-effect of being on eye steroids for years appeared. Kauai's intense sunlight caused cataracts in both his eyes. Dale came out of cataract surgery with the best vision he had had since childhood.
Dale had had an eye condition called Chalazions for years. The red bumps inside his eye lids scratched his corneas when he blinked. By 1995 his vision had deteriorated to legally blind and the sores had taken out his tear ducts. Dale had a driver license vision renewal exam coming up that he knew he could not pass. An eye doctor suggested he move to a warm, moist climate to make his eyes more comfortable, so he sold Mathis Music. He and his wife, Joy, moved to the Hawaiian island of Kauai. The Healing gods of Hawaiian relaxation did their job while they were living on Kauai's North Shore. The chalazions disappeared, never to return, but an unexpected side-effect of being on eye steroids for years appeared. Kauai's intense sunlight caused cataracts in both his eyes. Dale came out of cataract surgery with the best vision he had had since childhood.
With his vision corrected, it was time to get back to work. Dale, and the previous manager of the corporate Yamaha Music store in Honolulu, took over the business in 1997.
Photo: a customer admiring the Yellow Grand in the outdoor lobby of ABC Music, Honolulu.
Photo: a customer admiring the Yellow Grand in the outdoor lobby of ABC Music, Honolulu.
ABC Music Hawaii staff photo, 1997. The store's primary business was pianos, but they also sold other Yamaha music products including guitars, amps, keyboards, school band instruments. For a few years they sold Weltmeister accordions. In addition, they were the Allen Church Organ dealer for the State of Hawaii. Costco Road Show events on the four major Hawaiian Islands kept Dale "on the road" for much of the year.
2005
Dale was wandering the halls of the annual Music Merchants convention in California and "discovered" the Roland digital accordion. He bought one of the first FR-7 models sold in the US.
2006
Dale and his wife moved to Arizona to be closer to their grandchildren. Dale took a position as Music Director at a Sun City church and also held sales positions with different piano and organ stores until the Great Recession ruined the Phoenix piano business in 2009.
2010
Dale learned how to reprogram the FR-7 to change it from the original wimpy Roland factory sound to a powerful performance instrument. He played the City of Phoenix Senior Centers and weekends at a Scottsdale restaurant called Brat Haus. In 2014 he began playing every weekend at Haus Murphy's German Restaurant in Glendale, AZ.
Dale was wandering the halls of the annual Music Merchants convention in California and "discovered" the Roland digital accordion. He bought one of the first FR-7 models sold in the US.
2006
Dale and his wife moved to Arizona to be closer to their grandchildren. Dale took a position as Music Director at a Sun City church and also held sales positions with different piano and organ stores until the Great Recession ruined the Phoenix piano business in 2009.
2010
Dale learned how to reprogram the FR-7 to change it from the original wimpy Roland factory sound to a powerful performance instrument. He played the City of Phoenix Senior Centers and weekends at a Scottsdale restaurant called Brat Haus. In 2014 he began playing every weekend at Haus Murphy's German Restaurant in Glendale, AZ.
2016
Dale approached Donna Thomas, the owner of Crown Music, with the idea of selling Dale Mathis Edition Roland accordions at her store. They thought they might sell a few per year, but soon Dale's YouTube channel had people from around America calling and buying hundreds of Roland accordions.
Dale approached Donna Thomas, the owner of Crown Music, with the idea of selling Dale Mathis Edition Roland accordions at her store. They thought they might sell a few per year, but soon Dale's YouTube channel had people from around America calling and buying hundreds of Roland accordions.
2022 - present.
Donna Thomas retired in 2022 and closed Crown Music. Dale Mathis set up a new association with Ben Kraft of Kraft Music in Milwaukee to be the official shipper of Dale Mathis Edition Roland digital accordions. Kraft Music is one of America's largest music instrument dealers.
Donna Thomas retired in 2022 and closed Crown Music. Dale Mathis set up a new association with Ben Kraft of Kraft Music in Milwaukee to be the official shipper of Dale Mathis Edition Roland digital accordions. Kraft Music is one of America's largest music instrument dealers.
