MOUNT AIRY - In a Mount Airy family known for its musical ability, buying a music store is logical addition to their repertoire.  

Jenny Lowry, daughter of Jimmy and Sylvia Lowry, recently purchased Olde Mill Music on West Pine Street.  The venture is a totally different line of work for the Mount Airy native who has worked as a waitress and in retail stores, but Lowry expects the venture will be a good one.  I'm now an entrepreneur, she said.  This is going to be exciting, and a family event.

This will be good for her. She's a musician, and it will give her more than enough time to practice, Jimmy said.  We're very proud of her.

Both of Lowry's parents are musicians who are well known throughout the community and the nation for their music.  As a teenager, Jimmy became part of the regional sensation, the King Bees of King, and had the opportunity to back up such musical legends as Marvin Gaye, Chuck Berry, Chubbye Checker, Barbara Lewis, The Four Seasons, The Tams, Ike and Tina Turner, Jimmy Clanton, Lou Christy, Paul and Paula, the Shirelles, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Frankie Avalon and Fabian. Nearly everyone that came to the area to do concerts benefited from the musical skill of Jimmy and the rest of the King Bees. In 1969, Jimmy joined the national touring group, The Okaysions. Jimmy appeared with The Okaysions to play I'm a Girl Watcher and their latest release, Watch Out Girl, on Dick Clark¹s American Bandstand in 1971.   

In 1972, he met and later married his wife, Sylvia. The two of them traveled regionally under the name The Okaysions.  Sylvia is also a music teacher at North Surry High School.
Jenny Lowry plays several different instruments and sings, so, when the option to buy the store came available, she knew she was definitely interested.

She found out about the store being for sale from broker Robert Meinecke of Paradigm Financial Group Inc.  The family also knew the former owner, Wiley Porter.  According to Porter, his reasons for selling the place were because he wanted more time to do other things and to travel.  

Olde Mill Music has been in operation for 11 years.  With her new purchase, Jenny hopes to offer guitar repair services, lessons and a wide range of Martin and Taylor guitars, along with other instruments.

By RICKY ALLEN
Staff Writer of Mount Airy News