------Feature • Sweetwater Sound------NOTEWORTHY Nancy DeVincent, noted WOWO personality, dies Pianos, Guitars & Amps, Oh My! For better than 50 years, from 1941 to 1995, 1190 WOWO was heard not just in By Ashley Motia immediate vicinity of Fort Wayne, but up and down the eastern seaboard of the United Fort Wayne’s Sweetwater Sound has been the States. The AM station broadcast continu- area’s leading retailer for all things music equip- ously at 50,000 watts of power, and from ment for years. One of the most respected dealers in sundown to sunrise the stations directional the industry, their equipment is used nationwide by antennas were aimed at the eastern United novices, hobbyists and rock stars alike. They supply States. (This newspaper’s publisher, in fact, high-tech equipment for musicians, recording stu- remembers the station as one of the few he dios and broadcasters spanning the gamut from mi- could pick up on his transistor radio while crophones and digital recording systems to electric attending school in Virginia’s Shenandoah guitars, keyboards and drums. Now they’ve added Valley during the late 60s and early 70s.) pianos to the mix. WOWO personalities like Bob Sievers, Sweetwater owner Chuck Surack’s love for the Jay Gould, Earl Finkle and Dugan Fry were instrument goes back to his high school days when known not just in Fort Wayne but through- he purchased a Wurlitzer A200 electronic piano out the eastern half of the U.S., and the from Fred Myers. More than 30 years later, Myers’ station’s “world famous fire escape” was, piano store closed after almost 60 years, creating a in fact, world famous. void in the Fort Wayne piano market. World famous, too, was “The Little Sweetwater answered the call, inking a deal Red Barn Show,” which aired from 1945 to to become the exclusive authorized Yamaha piano 1994. The show was hosted by music direc- and Clarinova dealer in the region. This includes tor Sam DeVincent and his wife, Nancy northeastern Indiana, northwestern Ohio and south- Lee, of Nancy Lee and the Hilltoppers. central Michigan. One of the world’s leading music instrument and sounds and playing ability of Garson, with some seeing this kind of The group – Sam on accordion, Nancy professional audio retailers, Sweetwater invested more than $1 mil- technology for the first time. on guitar, Jack Carmen on violin and Roy lion to add 3,500 square feet to its retail location on U.S. Highway And that’s the tradition Sweetwater hopes to add to with their Hansen on bass – regularly performed on 30 just west of Fort Wayne. This expansion more than doubled the Yamaha expansion – a celebration of the evolution of music and its “The Hoosier Hop,” which was broadcast store’s original size. instruments. coast to coast on what was then known as Adding to their musical instrument repertoire may inspire musi- Thad Tegtmeyer, manager of the retailer, remarked, “It’s amaz- the NBC Blue Network (later to become cians both young and old alike to pick up a new kind of sound. Su- ing what it can do. The thing about digital pianos is you still get ABC). They also recorded a number of re- rack hopes that the expansion of digital pianos will entice a new gen- the elegance of grand pianos and the sound quality, but you never cords and appeared with such national stars eration of customers to become part of the Sweetwater family. “It’s have to tune them. It’s very low-maintenance.” Sounds like a modern as Gene Autrey, Roy Rogers and Hoagy true that piano lessons aren’t something that every kid goes through piano player’s dream. Carmichael. anymore,” said Surack, “but you can definitely do some really cool Sweetwater invites the public to join them in celebrating their Nancy Lee DeVincent passed away pm stuff with these new pianos.” new addition. A storewide sale runs through Saturday, August 13 and Thursday, Aug. 4, in Fort Wayne at the age Case in point, to celebrate their grand opening, Sweetwater includes special pricing on pianos. They will also have discounts on of 92. Her husband, Sam, died in 1997. She staged a unique exhibit of this technology—a hybrid of acoustic and hundreds of items throughout the store, some of which will be once- is survived by a son, Larence S. DeVin- digital piano playing. Legendary pianist Mike Garson played the Ya- in-a-lifetime deep discounts on popular items. cent, a daughter, Lori P. Deal, and several maha Disklavier grand piano from Yamaha’s corporate office in Los Even if you can’t make the sale, be sure to check out Sweetwa- grandchildren and great-grandchildren. For Angeles that simultaneously, via the Internet, played a Disklavier ter’s state of the art facility and release your inner Mozart by test more on Nancy Lee and the Hilltoppers, go piano at Sweetwater. Many marveled at more than just the beautiful driving a new Yamaha digital piano. to www.historyofwowo.com. Botanical Roots Concert Series

Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory in downtown Fort Wayne

Fridays at 8:30 pm • Doors open at 7:30 pm

Aug 12 Country Joe McDonald Folk Aug 26 John Primer & The Real Local Opener: Otis Gibbs Deal Blues Band Blues Local Opener: Dan Smyth Trio Aug 19 The Tossers Celtic Rock Local Opener: The Staggerers Sept 2 Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience Zydeco Local Opener: Whiskey Hollar

Admission $6 12 and under free w/adult Food & Beverage Available Lawn Chairs Encouraged

www.botanicalconservatory.org 260.427.6440

August 11, ’11------www.whatzup.com------7