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Music speaks to my soul. When I listen to music, it’s not uncommon for a song to bring tears to my eyes. When I play music, I feel it in my whole body, and I can be transported to another world. If you’ve ever seen Disney’s Fantasia, Mickey’s experience resembles how music makes me feel.
I began playing the violin when I was seven, learned the flute when I was ten and was a band geek in high school, playing alto saxophone in concert and jazz bands and baritone sax in the marching band. Along the way, I dabbled with guitar and ukulele, learning chords and enough riffs to impress a handful of people.
When my son George was three, he picked up a toy piano and plunked around on it for a few minutes before playing Jingle Bells perfectly. My husband and I, along with George’s grandparents who had bought him the toy piano, just looked at each other, mouths gaping, wondering if what we had witnessed had really happened. Over the next year or so, he would repeatedly plunk out different melodies he heard, and we knew we would need to do more to foster his musical ability.
At age four, we enrolled George in music lessons at Beautiful Noise in Searcy. He began with the ukulele and had a clear ear for music. When he turned six last November, he decided to learn to play the electric guitar. How could we say no? And, just a few weeks ago, George performed songs from AC/DC, George Thorogood, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and Motley Crue for a crowd of over 200 people.
Is George a musical prodigy? No. But with the right equipment and talented teachers, we have been able to tap into a natural, God-given talent. That is the beauty of music. Music is for everyone. No matter your age or prior skill level, if you want to learn music, you can. And the best place to begin is by finding a skilled instructor and getting set up with the right instrument.
Still trying to figure out where to begin? Visit one of these music stores and talk to the staff. They can help you choose an instrument that’s right for you and connect you with a teacher that will get you started at a pace that’s right for you. And when you have a few lessons under your belt, George and I are always down for a jam session.
George’s Favorite Music Stores
- Beautiful Noise | Searcy – Owner Jason Coleman offers private one-on-one guitar lessons, ukulele summer camps and repairs in his studio located in downtown Searcy.
- Quattlebaum Music | Searcy – Strings, percussion, keyboards and more. You’ll get exceptional, friendly service and knowledge. They offer new instruments, trades, repairs and music lessons and have been a cornerstone business in Searcy for over 45 years.
- Back Beat Music | Jonesboro – Back Beat Music focuses on guitars and drums with several other instruments. Music lessons and a great selection of immersive summer camps are available.
- All-Star Music | Jonesboro – The largest music store in northeast Arkansas, All-Star Music sells guitars, drum kits, keyboards, lighting and sound equipment and much more.
- Mountain View Music | Mountain View – Located in the heart of downtown Mountain View they specialize in string instruments like fiddle, banjo, dulcimer, guitar, mandolin and more. Small groups of folk musicians are regularly heard pickin’ a tune on the front porch. It’s not just a music store; it’s an experience.
- George Guitars | Harrison – A favorite of George’s for the shared name, George’s specializes in in-person and Zoom lessons for guitar, voice and piano. They carry a small selection of mostly vintage guitars.
More Music Stores In Arkansas
- Arkansas Musicworks | Bentonville
- Randy’s Music | Batesville
- Palmer Music Co | Conway
- Todd The Music Guy | Berryville
- LH Music | Lowell
- Palen Music Center | Springdale
- Remix Music | Springdale
- Sunrise Guitars | Fayetteville
- River Valley Music | Russellville
- Renown Music | North Little Rock
- Music City | North Little Rock
- Shuffield Music Company | Arkadelphia
- Guido’s Hot Springs Music | Hot Springs
- Billy’s House of Guitars | Glenwood
Band Instruments
For many, their first introduction to music is through their school music teacher or band director. I was blessed with great band and choral directors who fostered my love for music, singing and theater. While many schools provide loaner instruments for students in the band, you may be interested in purchasing an instrument outright. Because woodwinds and brass instruments require a slightly different skill set for maintenance, many music stores don’t carry them, and you may need to visit a specialty store.
- Arkansas School Band Service | Benton, Russellville, Cabot
- HighNote Music | Paragould
- Cooper Music | Russellville
- Edmund Neilson Woodwinds | Fayetteville
Specialty Instruments
The ability to play music is undoubtedly noteworthy, but some musicians go a step further, designing and building instruments to sell. Talking to a musician about an instrument they built and hearing them play it is next level. These shops contain custom-built pieces that would make a statement in any musician’s collection.
Dulcimer Shoppe | Mountain View
New World Drums | Eureka Springs
RM Olson Custom Guitars | Fairfield Bay
Flying Pig Guitars | Little Rock
Whether you are an aspiring musician or raising a future rock star, you will love these music stores in Arkansas.
Cover photo of Quattlebaum Music store by Julie Kohl.
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