One-on-One with Michael Keith

Michael Keith has a particular way of describing a concert or artistic performance that is brilliant enough to transport the audience: “That’s ‘musicality,'” he said.

It’s also the inspiration for the name of his Albuquerque store, which Keith opened six years ago after a background of playing, watching, researching, promoting and selling all things music.

“Musicality is of and about music,” Keith said of his name choice. “It’s all-encompassing.”

Keith’s store near Interstate 25 and the Osuna-San Mateo exit, is an outgrowth of Music Mart, the long-running Albuquerque sheet music and instrument business that was operated by his parents until it closed its doors in 2018. Musicality is filled with sheet music, musical accessories and instruments — lots of ukuleles, for example — and has private rental rooms for student lessons or practice sessions.

The biggest part of Keith’s sales is to institutional customers, such as church choirs and school bands. But there are also walk-in customers, and sometimes the more well-known aficionados who are part of the film industry. That might include a set designer or an actor, such as Beau Bridges, who came in one day looking for piano vocal music for his band.

But even if Keith fails to make a sale, he prides himself on being something of a music ambassador. He is more than happy to refer a customer to another local business if it means finding what they need.

“I’d rather point somebody to where they could find it, because at least then I’m a source of information,” he said. “There’s a need for music in the community.”

What’s the weirdest question you’ve gotten as a music store owner?

“It’s always about instruments and how to tune them. Sometimes a European or Middle Eastern instrument that somebody will call and ask if we have music for, like an oud or a zither. And customers come in and ask me how to tune an autoharp or whether there is a harp teacher in town. I try to keep an activity board of teachers’ names.”

What’s the future for bricks-and-mortar music stores?

“I think Music Mart was successful because over 40, 50 years, you had a customer base, and I haven't even fully tapped into that. Every day, somebody comes in and says, ‘Hey, I didn’t know you were here.’ That tells me … that there’s nothing but growth opportunity in this town for a business such as mine or for any music store. But it’s a tough nut to crack. We’ve seen in the last two years at least one guitar store start and close in Rio Rancho. Where population is, a music store or hobby store or sporting goods store will all have a home. I don’t have a fear of going forward. The question is what do we do next?”

And what’s the answer to that?

“The challenge that I have is running everything by myself, in all aspects of the business. Could those things be solved by bringing in another employee? Maybe, but it would have to be a specialist. Anybody can run the counter, but it takes a talent and a certain bit of knowledge to work in a music store that’s acquired over many years. You almost have to (be) post high school or at least a couple of years in the music department of a college or university to have an understanding of the aspects of it.That’s just the music aspect, not the business aspect.”

Did you always plan to follow your family’s footsteps and own a music store?

“I graduated from college and went into the night club entertainment business and performance and the music engineering business. So being a disc jockey and playing weddings and things like that. In the 1990s, I had an all-ages music venue called Ritual … at Fourth Street and Central. I exited that in 1994 and got into retail with my parents’ business. They needed a tech person, and I excelled at that in terms of doing the database work and establishing a website.”

Do you have a favorite type of music?

“I like more contemporary, of course. I grew up listening to big band jazz, and that was fun. I’m a fan of music from the ‘40s, big band jazz to contemporary jazz to ‘80s, ‘90s, 2000s pop. The ‘40s and ‘50s, the Frank Sinatras and the Tony Bennetts. Those are great musicians. The big band jazz musicians are some of my favorites.”

What’s the most fun part of what you’re doing?

“The fun part is that new music is created every day. To see a new music folio or a new artist just shows you that music doesn’t go away; it continues to grow, as do the different styles of music and different people that play music.”

How do you stay current?

“By reading things. I listen to a lot of different styles of music, watch a lot of different music performances. I sit on the board of New Mexico Jazz Workshop. I work as a volunteer at the concerts, and it keeps me in the know about local jazz musicians. Part of it is marketing for the business ... but a lot of it is just being involved in the music community, pushing it forward to be able to help other people. I do it because I enjoy it.”

How do you decompress?

“I’ll go Downtown to a music event. I’ll go for a drive. Family time. It’s not just coming in (to the store) every day and answering the phone. It’s learning how to do new things and continuing that education and trying to be the best business person and the best example of running a business and being able to be productive and meeting new people. It’s an ongoing thing. It never ends.”

THE BASICS: Michael Keith, 57, born in Albuquerque; one daughter, Jessica, 21; two dogs, Machete, a Parson Russell terrier cross, and Rocky, a schnauzer; bachelor’s degree in communication and journalism, University of New Mexico, 1992.

POSITIONS: Owner and operator, Musicality LLC, since 2018; co-owner and managing partner, Mentor Music USA, since June 2020; manager, Music Mart, 1995 to 2018.

OTHER: Board member, New Mexico Jazz Workshop, since 2022; board member, Public Academy for Performing Arts, 2016-2019.