A self-published, heavily illustrated local music reference and partial discography that documents recording artists, bands, studios, labels, and related people active in Mid-Michigan from roughly the 1940s through the 1970s. It is a collector-and-researcher-oriented book that mixes short biographies, band listings, label/record scans, interviews, and a price/collectability guide.
The book includes: • A chaptered listing of Mid-Michigan bands, solo artists, and groups, organized to make it easy to look up who recorded where and when. • A partial discography and many label/picture scans of records (the book contains hundreds of black-and-white band photos and over 300 color images of labels/pics). • Short interviews and “where are they now?” style updates for certain musicians and band members. • A price/collectability guide for some of the more collectible regional records.
Practical, documentary, and fan/collector-driven rather than academic. Holtzapple compiles factual entries, photographed artifacts (record labels, sleeves, promo photos), and short reminiscences/interviews; the emphasis is on preserving who made records in the region and supplying visual/technical detail (labels, catalogue numbers, dates) that helps identification and collecting.
Notable moments from Music Makers from Mid-Michigan and Surrounding Areas, 1940s thru 1970s: Who Were They? 1. Connections to nationally known Michigan musicians Holtzapple documents local ties to musicians who later became prominent (the book’s metadata and index reference people like Mark Farner and Don Brewer and discusses managers/producers such as Terry Knight). 2. Label and record-scan gallery The book contains hundreds of black-and-white band photos and over 300 color images of labels and record sleeves. 3. Studio and local-label histories Short histories and anecdotes about local studios and small labels, including who recorded there and memorable sessions. 4. Interviews and “where are they now?” updates Holtzapple includes short interviews or follow-ups with former band members and local scene figures. 5. Collectability/price guide moments The book flags certain regional releases as collectible and provides price/collectability notes. 6. Scene snapshots The book captures cultural moments: local high-school talent shows, dance venues and teen events (e.g., Ballenger Field House / “Teen-Age Shindig”) that were central to launching bands in the 1950s–60s. 7. Profiles linking the region to Detroit/Detroit industry stories Occasional threads show how mid-Michigan recordings or musicians connected to the broader Michigan music economy (labels, producers, and studios in Detroit and Nashville connections).
William R. Holtzapple William R. Holtzapple is a Michigan-based local music historian and collector best known for compiling Music Makers from Mid-Michigan and Surrounding Areas, 1940s thru 1970s: Who Were They? (self-published via Lulu, 2006). The book is a heavily illustrated regional reference and partial discography that records dozens of mid-Michigan bands, solo artists, small studios and labels, label/record scans, and short interviews or “where are they now?” notes — material intended for collectors, local historians, and anyone documenting the state’s mid-20th-century popular-music scene. The work preserves regional recording history and material culture.
Ramblings of an Old Coot 