Our Story
Pennsylvania Musician Magazine was created in 1982 by Whitey Noll. He was working at yet another dead-end sales job when his good friend and former employer, Mike Staub, told him he needed to create his own business in order to provide for his family. Whitey had sold advertising for several publications, including “The Fish Finder”, “Apartment Guide” and a few others. One day while selling cars he met the owner of the “Auto Locator” (who was taking pictures of cars for his publication while driving around in a Jaguar. Whitey then knew he was going to do some kind of publication of his own design.
While standing at a newsstand checking out the different publications, he saw there were numerous publications to find real estate, rentals, apartments, autos, farm equipment, sporting, goods, bargain papers, and guides. Hmm, what to do? Then he noticed the national magazine “Musician”. Having been a professional musician for years and still with music being a high priority in his life, he began thinking… that’s it! A magazine for Pennsylvania musicians where they can run their schedules and booking information. A publication where they can read about themselves and the public can find out about the local live music available to them to experience. A publication promoting just music and the businesses related to the music industry, thus the birth of the PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE. A magazine designed in the format of a publicity magazine for musicians, agents, and clubs. The interest it has generated sparked the renaissance of Pennsylvania’s local entertainment scene. That in turn has made the Pennsylvania Musician Magazine the most informative and entertaining magazine Pennsylvania has to offer.
The interest the Pennsylvania Musician Magazine generated among “live” music lovers has created a loyal readership and staff that have been with us for over 25 years with very little financial return other than the fact that they want to work with us to support “live” music throughout Pennsylvania. Those who have been with us from the first struggling years to the current issue include; Robin Noll, Jim Price, Keith Hummel, and John Harris.
The Pennsylvania Musician Magazine is a sole proprietorship and has always been independent in mind and spirit. When you pick up a Pennsylvania Musician Magazine you get what our loyal readers have come to expect; band schedules, club schedules, interviews, photos, CD reviews, and free classifieds for musicians looking to form a group or join a group. Over the years the Pennsylvania Musician Magazine has created a worldwide audience by placing the entire magazine on the internet at www.pamusician.net. If you’re in the hard copy you’re on our website at no additional cost.
Pennsylvania Musician Magazine, for people who make music, and for people who love music.
Meet Our Readers
Remember the first time you experienced “live” music? How you were drawn by the sound and enthralled by the talent that you were listening to and watching. How it made you feel and how the music inspired you to either dance or maybe it inspired you to pick up that first instrument and take lessons. Whatever the impact, that is who our readers are. They are people of all ages that have an interest in and desire for live music. Young or old. Once a music lover, always a music lover. Whether it be in the performance of or just the sheer pleasure of listening to and experiencing “live” music. Many of our readers have been faithful readers for over 26 years and many are just coming to know our pages and the wealth of information they carry each month.
Our readers are faithful. Every month we have people that trek to their favorite location to pick up their copy of the Pennsylvania Musician Magazine. Many times our delivery people are followed into the distribution point to grab their copy when they see us delivering because we always wear our gear to let people know who we are. We have had people stop our vehicles when they see we’re distributing the new issue. We’ve been told we should charge for the magazine with the popularity and how people call ahead to see if the new issue has arrived. Another comment we receive is, “Ah yes, the “real” music magazine, the one that’s actually about music.”
Many up-and-coming performers use our Free Classified section to connect with other musicians. Performers utilize our pages to market their bands and list their schedules to create more fans. Club owners utilize our pages to hire bands and performers, and to garner information about the groups themselves through our many live reviews that appear throughout the paper. Musicians read the Pennsylvania Musician Magazine to see who is doing what and to see how they too can advance their careers.
Our readers are “music lovers”. They love everything about music. They like to discover new music and talented musicians. They get a thrill when musicians who they have seen locally and have been featured in our pages such as KIX, THE SHARKS, THE HOOTERS, PARIS (POISON), LIVE, FUEL, THE BADLEES, HALESTORM, and then they hear and see them move on to national and world recognition. They are music lovers that want to know everything there is about music. They have to go out several times a week to see ‘live’ music. They like to buy CDs and listen to new music that isn’t force-fed to them through the airwaves. They want to be with other music lovers and talk music. They want to read interviews and reviews of their favorite local bands and performers. They stand in line for tickets for musical events. They go to music festivals. They hold day jobs and gig on weekends. They play music and listen to music from the time they get up to the time they go to bed. Some become promoters, some managers, some open up clubs, record stores, music stores, anything just so it involves music. Many become the ‘best fans’ on the planet. The one thing all our readers have in common is a passion for music.