Petosa Celebrates 100 years

May 24, 1955 - January 6, 2021

“Petosa Accordions 1922-2022: An American Accordion Story”

by Rita Davidson Barnea, Editor USA Accordion News

The Petosa Accordion Company based in Washington state celebrates 100 years in business with the recent publication of their new book, “Petosa Accordions, 1922-2022, An American Accordion Story.” This beautiful book celebrates the remarkable legacy of four generations of the Carlo Petosa family of Seattle.

Carlo Petosa, originally from Italy, was the founder of the Petosa Company. He began making the accordion in his basement in 1922. He learned how to make accordions by being an apprentice at the Guerrini Accordion Company in San Francisco.

The family’s fulfillment of the American Dream is a footnote in the history of the contemporary accordion, whose development began in Europe in the 1800s The “squeezebox” came to America with European immigrants, found a place on the Vaudeville stage, and enjoyed a wave of growing popularity in the first half of the twentieth century – until the arrival of rock ‘n’ roll caused the accordion’s “fall from grace.”The instrument was down but not out, however, and has made a steady comeback. Through it all, Petosa Accordions has survived and innovated while adjusting to cultural shifts and doubling down on its commitment to make accordions of unparalleled quality.

“An American Accordion Story”
Published by American Accordion Press
Limited First Edition, signed & numbered, $35
Coffee Table format, 128 pages, hardbound, 380+ photos
Available Now at: www.petosa.com

Short review by our Editor Rita Barnea: "I recently received my copy of “Petosa Accordions: An American Accordion Story” a unique and detailed account of the development of the Petosa Accordion Company and the accordion. I was amazed at how interesting and concise the book is. There are few books on the accordion and this book educates the reader carefully and thoroughly. The photos of the people involved in the Petosa company and the important accordionists which contributed to its development and popularity are wonderful to see. What a great learning experience! It is not only for accordionists but also for any person who is interested in and values the dedication and devotion it requires to build a company. I think this was successfully achieved. The book will be a great addition to your library of accordion information and also a unique gift for any occasion."

Author Joe Petosa, Jr. is the third generation owner.

Video

Joseph Petosa, Jr. shares, "What I am, I owe to my loving father. He taught me to be honest, to have compassion for others, and to love one's family and friends. He shared with me, as I worked by his side, everything he knew about the accordion. My wish is that readers will take away an understanding of the evolutionary cycle of this instrument and, perhaps, will witness a second Golden Age of the Accordion."

Interview with Author Joe Petosa, Jr.

Q: What inspired you to write a book?
A: Intrigued by a close friend's own custom hardcover photo album & while preparing for our 100th anniversary, it became apparent that this may be the best medium to share the story of our company and its place in world music throughout the last century. Originally, the intentions were to create something special to share with family and close friends as a small passion project; after establishing the basis of the book, it was apparent that there was a wider thirst for a niche, generational perspective. Upon meeting with a publisher, I was encouraged that our unique insight into the distinct industry of accordion making was one of significance and potentially interesting to a wider demographic. All things considered, the concept evolved beyond its original intentions into a project that reflects our company's constant aim; to create something that endures generations, however painstaking the process is to conceive it. I wanted to leave something behind for our families future generations that they could be proud of.... the satisfaction of enduring a legacy.

Q: There are over 380 photos inside the book spanning the last 100 years of accordion history, was there a particular photo that stands out as your favorite?
A: We sent nearly 1000 photos to our publisher and graphic designer. My idea was to make this of interest to accordionists but also attractive to music lovers and the general public. We asked the design team to choose photos that non-accordionist would find most attractive and informative to the general public and their interests. There are so many photos that in themselves tell a story, but I think for me the front and back cover tell the story of how contemporary and fun the accordion is.

Q: What was it like sifting through so much history?
A: I was so fortunate that my father retained all these photos. During my fathers retirement he found it therapeutic to arrange thousands of photos, newspaper clippings, artists information etc in 3" binder albums. My guess is I spent 100+ hours going through these binders scanning and editing the photos to archive. Although a lot of work, I also found it therapeutic in a way. I have a lot of great memories of meeting most of these artists.

Q: If you could describe the 4 generations of Petosa's, including yourself, using only one word what would it be?
A: Carlo Petosa: PIONEER
Joe Petosa Senior: NOBLEMAN
Yourself: SCRUPULOUS
Joey Jr.: VISIONARY

Q: What do Anthony Galla-Rini, Dick Contino, Art Van Damme, Peitro Diero, Clifton Chenier all have in common?
A: These iconic artists gifted virtuosity to the world and not only popularized and improved their music genre in the process, but inevitably revolutionized many aspects using their preferred tool: accordion.

Q: After the accordions "fall from grace" in the 70's, how was petosa accordions able to survive the steep decline in the accordion market?
A: My father always kept our company financially healthy, having no debt to service. In the early 70's we diversified our offerings and added sales and service of other musical instruments such as PA's, guitars, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer keyboards etc. My father continued the strive for perfection in our accordions, knowing no matter the industry or state of the economy, there will always be demand for the highest quality.

Q: What do you love most about the accordion?
A: I truly believe the accordion is, unequivocally, the most versatile musical instrument in the world. It wasn't just a coincidence that it was one of the most popular instruments for a half century, and now an entirely new generation is discovering this all over again.

Q: What do you see for the future of the instrument? Innovations in designs? Is there a changing market? Change in demand?
A: As my father predicted 40 years ago, there has been a resurgence in popularity of the accordion over the past decade +. Instrument trends follow music, and music taste is constantly evolving. We find ourselves continually evolving the aesthetics of our instruments and most importantly, we are invariably improving on quality and construction as the science of our craft advances. The one aspect of our business that my father could not possibly have predicted has been the most pleasant surprise of this century; the ability to offer our products to the entire world via the internet. This has allowed us to remain North America's premier accordion company in addition to reaching many countries with unique music cultures and therefore, contributing to our production of an eclectic range of varying types of accordions & features.