THE HISTORY OF BURD AND SONS PIANO SERVICE

Our story begins when Mr. Biggerstaff left the Chickering piano factory to start the Piano Tuning Program at Northeast Missouri State Teachers College (now Truman State University) in Kirksville, Missouri in 1922. Among his students was a talented musician and eager entrepreneur, Stanley Shaw.  

Allen  "Smokey" Burd, a studio musician and guitar teacher at Shaw Music, was offered a piano tuner apprenticeship under Mr. Shaw. Smokey went into the piano tuning and repair business in 1964 and would go on to train his son Ronnie Burd, Terry Keeney, and his grandson Joe Kemple. In addition he taught piano tuning courses in South Korea, Mexico, Dominican Republic, and Liberia. 

Ron, a 2nd generation piano tuner, assisted Smokey in piano repairs part-time for many years.

Terry became Smokey's competitor and remained a life-long friend. 

Joe worked alongside his grandfather Smokey for over a decade, absorbing as much knowledge as he could.

Joe began working with his grandfather Smokey Burd at age 18, and is now enjoying his 37th year as a piano tuner. A certified Master Piano Technician, he has a wide range of experience, including having been on staff at Truman State University (where this story began 103 years ago), a tech for two different Steinway dealers, and who is the tech for the largest music store in Norway. 

At Truman, Joe supervised Dustin Hamilton, who has since become a well-respected technician in his own right, and who is the current piano technician at T.S.U. 

Joe has mentored his two oldest sons, Ike and Riley, who join him in the shop on larger projects and who are 4th generation piano technicians. 

Read more about Joe Kemple.