Collinsville store has served generations of musicians. This year, it hit a milestone

Earlier this summer I was contacted by Art Risavy Jr., mayor of Edwardsville and owner of Swing City Music.

He sent an email and wrote that Swing City Music is celebrating its 60th anniversary. Would I be interested in writing a story?

Um, yes, absolutely!

Full disclosure: I love music. On vinyl, cassette, CD and streaming, I listen to most genres. I don’t play an instrument but wish I did. I took piano lessons for a short time as a kid. It didn’t stick. I’d still love to learn to play something – piano, drums, guitar, anything.

And I had never been to Swing City Music.

Risavy and I arranged a time that worked for both him and his dad, Art Risavy Sr., and in late August, I made my way to Collinsville.

Upon arriving, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I mean, I knew Swing City sells instruments, but what I saw amazed me.

Physical, old-school media that includes vinyl, CDs, cassettes and even 8-tracks are available at Swing City. Not to mention sheet music and books. (Note to self: Get the old turntable fixed and set up again.)

There were also drum kits, bongo drums and other percussion instruments.

From there, I entered a room that was filled with instruments. Keyboards, violins, brass instruments and more guitars (acoustic and electric) than I’ve ever seen in my life.

And there are some really beautiful guitars. (I know nothing about guitars, but I do know beauty when I see it). Other available string instruments are also on display – ukuleles, mandolins, violins. I even saw a Gibson banjo ukulele. I didn’t even know that was a thing.

Before the interview officially started, I looked around a bit and admired some of the equipment.

I saw an assortment of used reel-to-reel tape players (Core memory unlocked! My dad had one of these when I was a kid), amps in different sizes, speakers and some great vintage microphones.

It started with a music man

Swing City Music was established in December 1964 by Arthur Risavy Sr. and opened at Collinsville’s Orchards Shopping Center.

Risavy Sr. was already active in the music industry, running a talent agency – Artco Enterprises – booking bands and playing drums at gigs of his own.

What prompted him to open a music store?

“I had a job down in East St. Louis, and I walked into the [Sunny] Shields Music store . I had forgotten my sticks, and I was broke. I asked him if he would sell me some … and I would pay him tomorrow,” said Risavy Sr.

“He refused. So I ripped two legs off of a chair and played that evening with chair legs. I told myself someday I was gonna open up a music store, and I was not gonna treat musicians this way.”

Risavy Sr. “laid the groundwork” for the business, said Risavy Jr.

“He started the store with $2,500 in his pocket,” he said. “He was the only employee and the first teacher.”

Over time, the store moved to different locations, including a nearby TV shop that went out of business, according to Risavy Sr.

He said that a lot of TVs were left behind. So he called the Collinsville Police Department and told them the officers could have them. They came and took them all.

The third location was at 601 Illinois Ave., the site of the Carolina Tavern, which Risavy Sr. bought from the aging proprietress. From there, Swing City Music moved to the former Empire Bowl at 1312 Vandalia St., now the site of Scooter’s Coffee.

Risavy Sr. told several great stories during the interview, including how he came to own a jewelry store and a really wild one about the 1971 Carlyle Lake Festival, an event that he said cost him every penny he had that year.

I can’t share all of them here – I get only so much column space. But you can hear some of the stories (including the Carlyle Lake Festival) from the man himself via Swing City Music’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/@SWINGCITYMUSIC .

More than a music store

Swing City Music provides more than instruments and equipment.

Risavy Jr. said a big part of the business is installing professional audio and video systems in churches, schools and businesses.

When COVID hit, churches and schools wanted to get connected for online services and classes, he said. With schools, it wasn’t just online classes. For years, Swing City installed sound systems for school gymnasiums and football fields.

Providing sound systems isn’t new for Swing City. Risavy Sr. said they sold a lot of sound equipment for the Mississippi River Festival. He recalled an incident at the festival when they provided some last-minute replacement gear because a band member kicked the equipment off the stage.

That’s how they got started with that part of the business, he said.

In addition to installing sound systems, Swing City Music offers training, service and repairs for the equipment.

Risavy Jr. said they also provide audio and video equipment for area concerts and public and private events, mentioning events held in downtown Belleville. Live music is more popular in bars and restaurants, too. Swing City Music is committed to live music in the communities, he said.

Focus on music education

Since day one, Swing City Music provided lessons to anyone who wanted to learn to play an instrument.

Risavy Sr. said he started teaching – he taught drums – because the business had no customer base.

When I asked what instruments are taught at Swing City, he said they teach everything, and over the previous two weeks the store rented out more than 200 instruments.

Swing City’s education director, Tara Wright, said the studio has more than 150 students right now.

Chatting with Wright, I learned that she’s been at Swing City for 10 years and has taught musicians for 19 years total.

There’s no instrument Swing City won’t teach, and it’s never too late to learn. Students can range in age from 3 to … well, there’s no cap, so there’s even hope for me.

How does one decide which instrument to learn?

Wright said listen to music, pay attention to the styles and instruments you’re drawn to. Music testing is also available. Folks can register for lessons all year round. Start with 30-minute lessons and work up to 60 minutes a week. Group classes are also available.

And if you need an instrument, Swing City can provide it.

Risavy Jr. said they offer instrument rentals, which mainly include renting to local school bands, and a rent-to-own program for those in it for the long run.

Risavy Jr. said to think of band as a sport – a lot of time and work is invested in it. He is proud of their affordable rent-to-own program that helps provide instruments to young musicians that he said are their customers of tomorrow.

Sixty years and going strong

Both father and son see generations of customers come to the store.

Risavy Sr. said longtime customers, now grandparents and great grandparents, bring their families.

The octogenarian said he could’ve retired 20 years ago, but he likes talking with his customers. He still comes to the store every afternoon, including Saturdays.

Swing City Music is a destination, said Risavy Jr. People come to hang out.

Being in business for 60 is a major milestone, he said, adding that they continue to support local musicians and the community.

Risavy Jr. hopes to make it to 100 years.

Even with so many changes in the industry, they’re still here and going strong.

“We’ve had some very, very hard times,” said Risavy Sr. “There’s been a lot of ups and downs.”

About Swing City Music

Swing City Music has locations at 1811 Vandalia St. in Collinsville and 244 S. Buchanan St. in Edwardsville.

Hours at both stores are 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

For more information, call 618-345-6700 (Collonsville) or 618-656-5656 (Edwardsville) or visit the website at swingcitymusic.com .

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