Music to my ears: GlORIA’S BRINGING BACK THE BANDS

Music to my ears

GlORIA’S BRINGING BACK THE BANDS

By Anita L. Sherman

“It’s good…we’re happy to be back live,” said Tim Dingus, owner of The Gloria Faye Dingus Music Alliance on Main Street in Warrenton. Founded in 2018 in memory of his mother, The Gloria Faye Dingus

Music Alliance is dedicated to enriching the quality of life, cultural diversity, mental wellness and vitality of the community through music and the performing arts.

Edgar Loudermilk Band

Courtesy photo

Tim Dingus, owner of The Gloria Faye Music Alliance and Drum and Strum Music Center, credits the community for his 30-year plus love affair making music and sharing it with others.

Photo by Anita L. Sherman

It’s a mission statement that reflects the sentiments of a strong and caring woman who dedicated herself to her family and to the vision that music really does make the world go round.

Gloria’s, a nonprofit organization, partners with many groups and individuals in the community to host a variety of events. Gloria’s is also home to the Fauquier County Youth Orchestra. No audition is required to join.

“We had so much momentum going…we were really rocking…and then the pandemic hit,” said Dingus, who is thrilled that the stage at Gloria’s can once again resonate with the sounds of music.

“Since Gloria’s is a nonprofit…we need volunteers,” said Dingus, “Feel free to reach out…we need help to set up, to help run the concerts.”

“It’s great…really awesome…this community has always been so supportive… I’m very blessed,” said Dingus, who is also the owner of Drum and Strum Music Center, celebrating a 7-year anniversary at their location on Main Street.

Opened in 1990, Drum and Strum is in its 32nd year of operation. In 2014, they moved the store from a location on Lee Street to Main Street, a change that took the music store to another level in terms of visibility and customer traffic.

“We talked about it many times…thought it would be really cool,” said Dingus of their move to embrace technology by offering a virtual platform for their music lessons and taking their entire inventory online.

“We were literally forced into it,” said Dingus, who has seen the benefits that technology can bring even though there are times when he longs for those preinternet days with a cup of coffee and a one-on-one connection with all of his customers.

While the majority of music students have returned to in-person lessons, Dingus estimates that 25% remain remote. “We sell a lot of instruments…our business has quadrupled,” Dingus said, “we make a lot of custom guitars…we get customers from out of D.C.”

In addition to selling instruments, Drum and Strum also has rentals, does tuning and repairs. Eighteen music instructors provide a variety of private lessons from drums to ukuleles to violins and, of course, guitars.

“I have a lot of fun…not working,” Dingus chuckled, “I’ve been very fortunate to live in such a great community…to have been able to build what we have…it’s a tight knit family.”

Details: Gloria Faye Dingus Music Alliance, 92 Main Street, Ste 104, Warrenton, VA 20186, www.centerofwarrenton.org, 540-680-2296.Drum and Strum Music Center, 102 Main Street, Warrenton, VA 20186, www.drumnstrum.com, 540-347-7484. Fauquier County Youth Orchestra, info@fauquieryouthorchestra.org.