A series of grim news befell the Louisville music scene late last week.
The Courier-Journal reported on Saturday that Guitar Emporium (1610 Bardstown Road) will close on March 9 after 38 years of selling instruments to countless Louisvillians as well as international legends like the Rolling Stones, Neil Young and ZZ Top. Owners Jimmy Brown and Mary Jane Aboud cited a desire to retire, to spend more time with their family, and for Brown, a skilled bassist known for his work with Bodeco, to spend more time making music again. Merchandise will be marked down from Saturday through the closing.
Tom Dillander of Shelbyville’s Palomino Records Pressing, one of the country’s top vinyl pressing plants, died last Thursday at 58 after suffering burns from an exploding boiler at his shop. As vinyl records made a comeback over the past decade, Palomino was in the right place at the right time, working closely with some of Louisville’s independent labels.
Jon Cook, known for leading the influential band Crain as well as playing with Cerebellum, Experimental Pollen, Rodan, Parlour, and more, also died last Saturday. Cook was well known to many in the music scene and beloved. He left Louisville far too young; he was 40.
This article appears in February 12, 2013.