I truly enjoyed researching and writing every chapter in my new book Beloved Burlington Volume II: Featuring businesses you knew and loved!
The chapter on App’s Music House is extra special to me because I became acquainted with Jamie Appleton, son of O.W. and Inez Appleton, the founders and owners of App’s. I want to share an excerpt from that chapter, but first, here’s the info on my events coming up.
On Nov. 13, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., I’ll be signing copies of the book at Burlington By The Book, 300 Jefferson St., in Burlington, Iowa. On Nov. 14, I’ll give a talk about the book and share some behind-the-scenes anecdotes at 1:30 p.m. at the Des Moines County Historical Society’s Heritage Center, 501 N. Fourth Street. This is a free event, but registration is requested by calling (319) 752-7449 or emailing dmchsevents@dmchs.org.
Here’s how the chapter on App’s Music House begins:
When O.W. Appleton named his business App’s Music House in the 1930s, did he realize how appropriate that name would be for decades to come? The store lived up to its name by bringing music into thousands of homes in the Burlington region.
Appleton, and the teachers he employed, taught thousands of youngsters and adults to play the guitar or piano or accordion or whatever caught their fancy. Students played in their homes, in the school band or orchestra, or in the local clubs. LPs and 45 rpm records whirled around turntables in home stereos, all purchased at App’s, bringing the rich voices of Perry Como, Nat King Cole, and Patti Page in the 1950s. Through the years, those sounds evolved into the raucous rock ‘n’ roll of Elvis Presley, the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones. App’s Music House was a store that touched multiple generations within the same home.
Jamie Appleton, the son of O.W. and Inez Appleton, recalled that many people in Burlington suffered challenges in the years of the Great Depression and World War II. Some people “hated their jobs and had to have a pleasant hobby—taking music lessons from my dad,” Jamie said.
These pupils would have been hard pressed to find a more accomplished musician, even in Chicago, than “App”, as Orbra Wallace Appleton was called. “App” was born in 1902 in Keokuk, Iowa and began playing the piano in grade school. In high school, he started playing the ukulele, the baritone uke, the banjo, and the guitar.
“App” scratched out a living by playing mostly banjo in a traveling dance orchestra; he also arranged the musical numbers and scheduled the bookings. In 1926, after Jamie was born, “App” wanted to stop traveling with the orchestra, so he taught music lessons in people’s homes in Burlington and nearby towns. Inez took whatever jobs she could find, such as teaching sewing at the Singer Store. “App” eventually rented studio space above Union Supply at 323 N. Fourth St. “Before long, he had a glass case filled with strings and picks for his students, which grew as he gradually obtained all eight rooms on that floor, and that became App’s Music House,” Jamie recalled.
Move to Main Street
By 1949, the business had grown enough that “App” and Inez decided it was time to expand. They located a vacant store front at 205 N. Main St., the former home of Reilly’s Cafe for many years, thus giving the business excellent visibility. A Dec. 14, 1949 newspaper article announced that the move would take place after the new year. “Plans call for the music firm to use the first floor of the new location for a salesroom for all types of musical merchandise. The second floor will be converted into individual studios for five instructors. One large room will be used as an ensemble room where various groups will practice.” Jamie, by then 23 years old, built a recording studio in one of rooms and also taught lessons for App’s School of Music. Inez, who was especially good at bookkeeping and office work, ran the store.
I hope you enjoyed reading this excerpt! If you can’t make it to my events in Burlington, the book store is handling orders and owner Chris Murphy will happily mail a signed copy of the book to you or you can arrange to pick it up. Just call (319) 753-9981. Thank you for your interest!
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