Keeping the beat

Wasilla shop grows into local music hub

February 28, 2006

JOEL DAVIDSON\Frontiersman reporter

MAT-SU - If you've ever been to Guitar Heaven, then you've seen the soul of Matanuska Music. Located in a back room, past the hanging guitars, the stacks of sheet music and containers full of harmonicas, picks, drumsticks and every other musical gadget imaginable, sits Guitar Heaven.

The environmentally monitored room is designed to maintain humidity and temperature levels that protect its valuable contents.

A rush of balmy air poured out of Guitar Heaven when store owner Hank Hartman opened the door to showcase the prized contents.

&#8220We have $5,000 guitars in here,” he said.

Finely crafted guitars hang from nearly every inch of the small room, along with a large upright bass sitting in the corner.

Hartman is a large middle-aged man with thick forearms and wide, calloused hands. He looks every bit like the hardworking shopkeeper he has become.

Hartman loves music. A former Air Force Band trombone player, he now repairs all kinds of instruments, leads a youth jazz band, teaches a couple of young kids the art of instrument repair, donates endless hours to promoting local music, and even gives a few trombone lessons on the side.

For the last six years, Hank and his wife, Ana Hartman, have owned and operated their beloved store, which sits in the middle of a Wasilla strip mall along the busy Parks Highway.

The inside of the store, however, is its own world and reflects the musical passion of Hank Hartman. In the late 1990s, Hartman lost his North Slope job and took up a series of odd jobs that included piano tuning, janitorial work and private music lessons. In 1999, he bought the music store and settled into a new life, which includes being an ambassador for local music.

The Hartmans speak of music as if it were the key to unlocking all kinds of genuine truth and beauty.

&#8220We definitely foster a music culture here,” Hartman explained last week from his cramped office. &#8220We don't just sell you an instrument. We show you how to take care of and play your instrument.”

The store contains four studio rooms where local music teachers rent space to teach a new generation of musicians. Hartman estimates between 200 and 250 students circulate through the studio rooms on any given week. As they do, they linger in the shop, purchase equipment and forge connections with other musicians.

On Saturdays, students fill the repair shop for group guitar lessons. Soon, Hartman wants to expand group lessons to include all kinds of instruments, every night of the week.

&#8220It is a great business to be in because 99 percent of the time people are happy to be here,” Hartman said. &#8220It is definitely a gathering place for musicians.”

It's evident that Hartman's love for music extends far beyond his own journey as a musician.

A few years ago, the Hartmans noticed a lack of quality music education in Valley schools, especially for students who wanted more rigorous training and advanced teaching.

In response, Hank launched Just Playin' Jazz, a private community jazz band for middle school and high school age students. The band consists of roughly 20 young musicians, who practice every week and play year round for nonprofit, fund-raising and community events.

In order to join the band, students must audition, which includes reading sheet music and composing their own original song.

Hartman is the musician, but his wife Ana tirelessly promotes music in the schools. Together they team up to repair school instruments, teach music teachers how to care for instruments, and work with schools to promote special dances and events.

&#8220We really try to make a bigger impact in the community,” Hartman explained.

When asked about the future of local music, Hartman leaned back in his chair and paused for a moment. The laugh lines around his eyes told the story of a man who sees better things ahead.

&#8220I love it here,” Hartman said of his shop. &#8220You see little kids come in, growing and turning into good musicians. It's a good feeling.”

Contact Joel Davidson at

352-2266 or joel.davidson@

frontiersman.com.