SLM’s Jim Eaton Retires

It is with mixed emotions that St Louis Music announces that Jim Eaton, the Vice President of Knilling and Orchestral Sales for over 6 years, has decided to retire effective Oct 1, 2014. He will remain with St Louis Music in an advisory role after his retirement. Jim is a product of public school music education, coming up through the great instrumental music program of the Normandy School District in St. Louis County. He began his career as a professional cellist in the Tulsa Philharmonic while attending the University of Tulsa.  He returned to his hometown and continued his career as an orchestral educator, maintained a large studio of private cello students and was regularly heard as a performing cellist. 

His former students include a member of the Boston Symphony, the conductor of the San Diego Ballet Company, the music faculty of Washington University and many school music educators in distinguished positions. A significant part of his playing career was his appointment as Artist Cellist of The American Kantorei, succeeding his teacher and student of Pablo Casals, Elizabeth Fischer.  Jim worked as General Manager of School Music Service, a major player in the educational market in Missouri.  He was soon appointed Director of Marketing for Scherl & Roth, subsequently product manager for William Lewis & Son, Executive Vice President of JR Music Supply, Executive Vice President of EMMC and now Vice President of Knilling and Orchestral Sales at St. Louis Music.  Jim’s future activities include active participation as a board member of the West Point School of Music, an organization dedicated to the prevention of juvenile violence and the promotion of personal and academic success through quality afterschool and out of school music instruction programs in Chicago’s south and west sides.

Mark Ragin, President and CEO of St Louis Music commented, “While we are sad to see Jim leave the company, we certainly wish him well in a much deserved retirement.  Jim has been the driving force behind the incredible success of the Knilling brand for over 6 years. We are very happy that Jim has agreed to stay on in an advisory role as we seek to build a new management team. SLM could not have had a more dedicated and productive manager than Jim”.