| Milano
Accordion History began with Henri’s father,
Francesco Milano, who left his humble home and family
in the village of Forno Rivera, Italy to travel to
Le Havre, Seine-Inferior, France, where he embarked
on the French ship, “La Savoie,” and sailed
for the United States in search of a better life. He
landed at Ellis Island, New York on February 1, 1908.
Francesco
was 23-years-old at this time. Included in his allowable
baggage was his used, but treasured, sixty-bass, double-keyboard
piano accordion that he had previously purchased in
Italy. Since Francesco was fluent in both reading music
and playing the accordion, it is assumed that he had
studied in Forno Rivera, Italy. He traveled by train
to his place of employment as a tool-repair blacksmith
in Sunnyside, Carbon County, Utah. He later married
Leontina Pascal, a 17-year-old beauty from Pinasca
Pinerola, Italy, who braved the sea on the ship, “La
Province.”
In 1920,
Francesco ordered a new 140-bass piano accordion from
the Guerrini Accordion Manufacturing Company in San
Francisco, California. His ultimate dream came true
when he received this fantastic instrument. Later on,
due to a labor strike between coal miners and management,
he decided to move his wife and three children, Anna,
Henri, and Mary, to Salt Lake City, Utah.
Enrico (Henri “Hank”)
Milano was born July 14, l9l6 in Sunnyside, Utah. His
music career began at an early age, studying the violin
and later progressing to his true love, the piano accordion.
His father was his first instructor and role model.
Mr. Edward Ferlan, of Salt Lake City, was his next
teacher. Ed Ferlan had started his accordion study
with Francesco, and later advanced to music education,
harmony, and theory, with instructors in San Francisco,
California. He was also affiliated with the Guerrini
Accordion Manufacturing Company, performing on a Guerrini
instrument.
In 1931,
Hank’s parents purchased a new special Piatanesi
accordion for him from Mr. Sam Pezzopane, who was a
local accordion teacher and factory representative
for the Piatanesi Accordion Manufacturing Company,
of Chicago, Illinois. Hank did most of his teaching
and performing in Salt Lake City and Los Angeles with
this beautiful instrument.
In 1935,
Hank and his buddy, I.J. (Izzie) Wagner, drove to Los
Angeles, California, in an old 1927 Pontiac to test
opportunities in the big city. Here, Hank met Ken Howell
and Tony Aretta, of the Howell-Aretta Conservatory
of Music. They immediately hired him as an accordion
instructor. Ken Howell was a musical genius. He masterminded
the Howell-Aretta Accordion Instruction Course and
was also in demand as an arranger for the Hollywood
movie studios. He was instrumental in Hank’s
interest in music theory and arranging for the accordion.
Hank was later promoted to treasurer and general manager
of Howell-Aretta.
While working
here, he met and married Elma Allen, who was a professional
accordionist and receptionist. Before Howell-Aretta
closed, Ken, Tony, Henri, and Elma, teamed as an accordion
quartet and performed in the area. After Howell-Aretta
closed, Henri and Elma opened Milano Accordion Studios
in Southern California, where they taught several hundred
students until Hank was inducted into the army. After
World War II, they moved to Mesa, Arizona, where they
opened Milano Music Center. As each of their six children
turned five-years-old, Elma began teaching them to
play the accordion. Thus, while the rest of the family
kept busy practicing, winning awards, and giving service,
Hank kept busy building their music business into one
of the largest and most successful in the state.
In early
1961, Hank and Elma dissolved their marriage. It was
an amicable decision with Elma and their children,
Frank, Francene, Mila, Laura, Margaret, and Ida, continuing
on with Milano Music Center in Mesa, and Hank returning
to Salt Lake City to care for Francesco, his ailing
father who was now a widower.
While in SLC,
Hank assessed other business areas and became acquainted
with Lincoln White, president of the FAIM Membership
Discount Store. Mr. White offered Hank a position as
his assistant. About this time, Mr. Joe Romagnoli,
of the Italo-American Accordion Company contacted Hank
and persuaded him to start teaching again. He offered
to consign accordions to him for selling. Hank decided
to do this as a limited sideline to his FAIM position
and soon he was teaching about a dozen or so students.
He subsequently
held positions of trust in the music industry. First,
he worked as national sales manager for the Estey Musical
Instrument Corporation (manufacturers of organs and
the popular Magnatone amplifier) that was located in
Harmony, Pennsylvania. Later, he became sales manager
for General Electro Music Inc., (GEM) of New York and
Italy.
Hank had married
Connie Fresh in 1964 and in early 1970 they decided
to leave their home in Zelienople, Pennsylvania and
move back to Salt Lake City with their two children,
Nicholas and Alexandria. They enjoyed being back in
Utah where he teamed up with Izzie and Abe Wagner in
the packaging supply division of Wagner Corporation
as vice president and general manager. The business
was sold in 1993 and Hank retired at 77 years-of-age
on August 31st, of the same year.
In 1996,
in celebration of Milano Music Center’s fiftieth
anniversary, Hank joined the Mesa Milanos in performing
again as “the world’s largest family of
virtuoso accordionists.” As the eight of them
performed, even though the tunes were no longer of
a virtuoso caliber, both performers and listeners shed
many tears of joy.
Today, Frank
and his son, Mike, operate Milano Music Center. Mila
and her husband, John, and their son, Jim, operate
Linton Milano Music. Together, they enjoy a high degree
of success as a complete music outlet, which offers
school service, keyboards, skilled repairs, top-brand
merchandise, a complete selection of sheet music, and
bulges with students who are taught by qualified instructors.
After a long
absence from the accordion, Frank taught himself to
play the chromatic accordion. He entertains several
times a year with his large repertoire of favorites.
Sometimes, he teams as a duet with his senior-citizen
mother, Elma.
Milano Music
houses a showcase of family memorabilia including their
accordions. The studio walls are adorned with family
pictures which customers enjoy. Their historical setting
establishes a relationship of trust.
In 2003,
Hank’s daughters drove to Salt Lake City to visit
Hank on his 87th birthday. While there, Margaret filmed
her daddy performing on his accordion. Even after a
30-year hiatus, he still thrilled them with his unique
style and arrangements. This video will help preserve
his accordion skills for posterity to enjoy.
P.S. Strange
as it may seem, even though Hank’s father, Uncle
Tony, sister Mary, wife Elma, her grandmother Allen,
and all six of their children enjoyed the accordion,
not one of their 30 grandchildren shows any interest
even though they play other instruments both as an
avocation and as a vocation. (Grandson Tom Linton is
a member of the popular “Jimmy Eat World” rock
band.) Perhaps some of their 20 (and growing) great-grandchildren
will turn this around?
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