ABOUT US
OUR STORY
Founded in 1973 by two rock musicians from Los Angeles, Andy Aldrich and Reese Marion left LA’s thriving music scene to open up shop in a small Seattle neighborhood. This was akin to leaving Northern California during the gold rush and people called them crazy.
However, Andy and Reese both sensed something beginning to boil in this sleepy city. After two years in the Greenwood area of Seattle, American Music would find its home of nearly 50 years at 4450 Fremont Avenue North. It would be a decade later when that music scene that they had bet on would explode, marking Seattle as one of the world’s biggest creative capitals.
They planted their legendary music store seed in the town that championed the alternative, the underdog, and demanded authenticity. During the ‘80s and ‘90s, the Seattle music scene was thriving and American Music quickly became the local hangout for some of Seattle’s greatest musicians.
Andy Aldrich and Billy Kennelly (of Kennelly Keys Music ) became friends amidst the crazy music times of the 1990s within the industry. Andy took Billy under his wings mentoring him with a wealth of knowledge and experience. Their friendship led to an epic lunch conversation in 2006 when Andy expressed his desire to retire and to pass on the American Music legacy to another local business owner and friend.
Kennelly Keys and American Music partnered in early 2007, keeping each business separate to continue serving the different music communities that each shop catered to. With this union, they have become one of the region’s largest independent dealers of quality musical instruments, services, and rentals.
Today, American Music operating at its legendary location, is staffed by some of the most experienced musicians around providing their expertise in guitars, basses, keyboards, percussion, pro-audio, recording, lighting, amplifiers, effects, and accessories.
It is a store for musicians, run by musicians.
OUR TEAM
Our friendly staff are ready to help answer your music equipment questions and offer suggestions to help solve problems, create inspiration for your next project, or anything else you got for us! All of us at the shop are active in making music, playing gigs, and going to shows while also working with bars, clubs, and venues to make every event a success. With diverse backgrounds, you can be sure we have a sales associate who is familiar with your musical direction and can provide solutions to your next artistic endeavor!
OUR STORE
