Hidden Gems: Meet Lee ‘Dig’ East of Staff Music Akron LLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lee ‘Dig’ East.

Hi Lee ‘Dig’, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My dad, Lee East [and Virgil Lay of Lay’s Guitar] started Staff Music in 1964, when I was 3. I’ve been around music and the store my whole life. I fondly remember cookouts and gatherings as a child that almost always turned into jam sessions with Dad and his music buddies. I was, of course, focused on the drummer and would sit in front of the kit watching and, as kids sometimes do, falling asleep while the beat was figuratively and LITERALLY pounded into my head! Music, the people who make it and the instruments used have become a way of life with me. I was in all available band programs in high school, countless bands through the years, played opera to jazz to metal to country to rock and most everything in between. Playing locally and on the road, in front of no one in a seedy bar to hundreds and sometimes thousands in various venues and concert halls from Cleveland, to the Bahamas, to the Rockies and all points between. I worked at the shop steady during assorted periods from 79 to early 2000s. Even when life would lean 70/30, drummer/Staff Music, I always made sure I was home enough to help at the shop and facilitate Mom and Dad’s vacations! Started ‘permanent residency’ at the hallowed halls of Staff in the early 2000s. I began work developing [still developing!!] Staff’s online presence. The live playing gradually tapered until a ‘semi-forced’ retirement around 2019.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Never smooth but how things go for you depends a lot on how you look at them. Sometimes the tests and struggles turn out to be the most memorable and valuable life moments. I could speak volumes on the adventures, shenanigans and experiences I’ve had, good and bad, but I’ll just rely on brevity and the words of Jimmy Buffett [yes, I’m a parrothead!]: “Some of it’s magic, some of it’s tragic. but, I’ve had a good life all the way…”

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Great old school, family owned music shop serving Akron, Ohio #330 and
the tropical North Coast since 1964.
Passed down from father to son with over 100 years combined experience in playing, building, repairing, buying and selling musical instruments.

Low Prices – Super Service – Great Selection
Staff Music is unique, not your typical music store.
​New, Used, Special Order, Clearance, B-stock, Scratch/Dent
Guitars, Amps, Drums, PA, Audio, Parts, Accessories
Buy, Sell, Trade, Consignment, Repairs​​
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Staff Music is one of the last of a rare breed. A family owned, family run business with personal service AND low prices.​
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~ No high-pressure sales tactics ~
~ Honest, friendly, knowledgeable service ~
~ Help and advice from experienced professionals ~

Give us a try. Compare our instruments to ones that cost up to five times as much! You’ll see that you don’t have to spend a ton of money to get a quality, great playing instrument. We also have a constantly changing selection of used and consignment gear.
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We take a lot of pride in making sure that every instrument
we sell, new or used, is tested, setup, and GIG READY.
Anything less will be clearly stated and further discounted.​
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Beginner, hobbyist, professional ~ entry-level to vintage ~ we’ve got ya covered!

https://www.staffmusicakron.com/about-us

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Beyond the obvious music stuff, I was into sports [mainly football]. I grew up showing horses starting at 6 or 7 years old until my mid-teens. I was a little wild into my teens, 20s, 30s…….. with a propensity for good times and shenanigans. Pretty family centric though, throughout my entire life. Especially as the years started adding up. I grew up with a wonderful older sister, Shelley and was richly blessed with parents [Lee and Laurie] who were, in my book, the absolute best EVER! My, eventual, best friends. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who were like family were always plentiful and cherished. I want to mention that, also mixed in there in my 20s was the gift of my son, Justin, in 1988. Currently, my 37 yo mini-me!

Pricing:

• Guitars and Amps from $60
• Strings, Sticks, Cords, Straps $3-$4
• New Microphones from $20

Contact Info:

• Website: https://staffmusicakron.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/staffmusicakron/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StaffMusicAkron/
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/staffmusicakron
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/staffdig
• Other: https://reverb.com/shop/staffmusicakron