About Us

We’re celebrating 45 years in the piano business!

Bill Jones Music started as Kimball Piano & Organ Centers in 1973, founded by then partners Bill Jones and Jerry Godolphin. Over the years we have grown into the largest piano dealership in East Tennessee with stores in Knoxville, Nashville, and Chattanooga. Jerry Godolphin left the partnership in the 1980s to pursue other interests with Bill staying on. They remain close friends to this day.

Our strong growth is a result of our exclusive dealerships with leading brands, including Yamaha, the world leader in Pianos and digitals for both homes and institutions. We are also the area's exclusive authorized dealer for Allen Church Organs and Lowrey home organs.
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From our original 2,100 square foot store in 1973, we now have over 22,000 square feet of showroom and support space with a vast selection of name brand pianos, digitals and player pianos in all price ranges, as well as Violins, Cellos, Yamaha Guitars, Stagepas Sound Systems, Allen Church Organs and Lowrey Home Organs. With the state’s largest selection of books, sheet music, and musical accessories we have become the one stop shop for most things musical.

While we are not currently offering horns or band instruments, we do offer a full range of accessories such as mouthpieces, valve oil, reeds, etc.

Our 16 music teachers teach hundreds of students a week ranging from 2 years old all the way up to 99! We recently procured the Yamaha Music School franchise making us the only Yamaha Music School in all of Tennessee. After 43 years in business, we are now on our second generation of family members who keep the business growing.

Knoxville Staff

  • Bill Jones

    Owner / Founder
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    I came to Knoxville in 1973 to open a Piano & Organ retail business after my previous employer went out of business with no notice. Hoping this small business would support my family until a real job could be found, no one is more surprised than I am that this humble endeavor haslasted for 43 years. Over […]

  • Marjorie Jones

    Owner / Music School Director
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    Marjorie and Bill have been married for over 47 years.  After the eight children were grown, Marjorie joined the company on a full time basis, first as a manager of one of our subsidiary businesses, then moving to our main business to become director of our (then new) Music School. Starting from nothing, Marjorie has […]

  • Daniel Owens

    Sales & Web Development
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    Daniel started piano lessons at the age of 4 and has never known a life without music. His first piano teacher, Teresa Husky of Seymour, TN, not only gave Daniel the foundation of music, but also showed him how to “Love” music. When he was 11, Daniel won 1st place in a 4-H talent competition […]

  • Barbara Hall

    Sheet Music Manager
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    Barbara is in her second career, having retired from Oak Ridge National Laboratory after 40 years in accounting. She attended Maryville College on a Voice Scholarship and through the years has had extensive vocal training. She started piano lessons when she was six years old and now plays piano for her church. She also directs […]

  • Katrina Duval

    Sheet Music Sales Associate
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    Katrina is working on her completion of a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Music. She loves playing piano & learning new songs on her ukulele. Katrina really REALLY enjoys large cups of coffee & watching Neflix in her spare time.

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Chattanooga Staff

  • Larry J. Otto, B.S. Mus. Ed., M.A.

    Store Manager
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    Mr. Larry Otto holds a Master’s Degree in Music from the University of Missouri. He has been a music professor and university music department chairman as well as choral conductor, voice and conducting teacher. He is a singer who also plays piano, organ and tuba. He not only manages Bill Jones Music but continues to teach keyboard classes in […]

  • Edwina Gillespie

    Sales Assistant and Book Manager
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      Edwina has extensive experience working in music stores from being book keeper to sales assistant. At Bill Jones Music she uses all of these talents at some time or another. Her record keeping abilities are impeccable and her love for music and the people who visit our store is obvious in her friendly conversations. She takes care of […]

  • Wendell Gillespie

    Support Staff
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    Wendel Gillespie helps keep our store looking good as well as keeping the instruments dusted and polished. His expertise in instrument recovery is exceptional. Sometimes trade-ins or used acquisitions can need some TLC and Wendel can bring out their luster and make them shine again. His help in many and various ways is very valuable including everything from instrument assembly […]

  • David Walrod

    Piano Consultant / Teacher
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    David Walrod is a pianist, singer, songwriter, and music producer based out of Chattanooga, Tennessee. As a musician who prioritizes versatility of style, his experience has led him to perform in classical, chamber, jazz, Latin, soul, alternative, rock, funk, and church music settings. He has studied with internationally recognized pianists Cahill Smith (DMA, Eastman School of Music, Yamaha […]