Get to Know Scheitel's Music

A MIDWEST MUSICAL TRADITION

Rod Scheitel started learning piano from his mother at the age of 8. As a child, he would often sneak into his church to play the piano. At the age of 18, Rod and his high school sweetheart, Audre, got married with $12 to their name. Audre, a true lover of music always appreciated and encouraged Rod’s musical endeavors. In the early 70’s Rod started bringing his talent to the stage. Throughout the years he’s played in groups such as The Azby Band, Rochelle, Brown Mountain Boys, and of course The Fabulous Full Range Band.

In 1970, Rod started working for Brown’s Music in New Ulm as a piano delivery man. With Rod’s passion and talent for piano, it wasn’t long before he was selling pianos and working with customers. In 1975 Brown’s opened a store in Mankato and made Rod the manager. The store ran somewhat as a one-man operation, but Audre did much of the behind the scenes work. Over the next five years they started learning the many aspects of music retail. In 1980, Rod took the opportunity to teach more lessons and play more gigs.

In July of 1986, Brown was looking to liquidate his inventory with someone he trusted. Rod and Audre started selling his inventory out of the basement of their Mankato home. Because of their experience and reputation, companies started approaching Rod and Audre about carrying their products. They started hosting keyboard sales events in their one car garage. Audre crafted homemade sales flyers with an old typewriter and logos cut out of magazines. Together they started forming the foundation of what would become Southern Minnesota’s largest instrument showroom.

Rod and Audre moved their inventory from their home to a warehouse on South Victory Drive in 1989. With their first store front, they expanded their inventory and gained more products and services to offer musicians of the Mankato area.

The stores current location was built in 1993 and the piano showroom was added in the year 2000. Over the years Rod and Audre have provided quality instruments, gear and services to musicians such as Billie Joe, Mike, and Tre of Green Day and Brianna Duren of Owl City. They have also built one of the largest lesson programs in Southern Minnesota, hosting over 200 students a week.

Rod continues to work at the store, as well as doing some gigging, and Audre still does a lot of the behind the scenes work. Together their passion and dedication to the ongoing benefits of music has and will continue to bless the Southern Minnesota area.