I have been involved with pianos and music most of my life. After playing music as a young teenager with my friends and playing music in 2 different bands, I decided to enhance my musical knowledge. This led me to a small community college nearby where I studied music theory.
After serving in the Army, I went to work as a piano/organ salesman in my home town of Kalamazoo Michigan. During the years spent at Stannards Music in Kalamazoo, I became acquainted with Mr. Tim Johnson, their piano Technician. In my spare time, I would talk to Tim and watch with interest while he applied his craft to the pianos on the sales floor. My interest in piano tuning/servicing evolved into my wanting to pursue learning to do what he was doing.
I am very thankful to Mr. Johnson who took me under his wing and taught me the basics of piano tuning and repair as a apprentice.. I then spent many years tuning part time honing the craft. Practicing, and honing the craft is a life long, never ending pursuit.
In 1987, with desire to tune as my full time vocation, and faith in God, I ventured out and started Mike Cook’s Piano Service. And by God’s grace and hard work, here I am today.
Being a musician has sharpened my skill and my sensitivity to the tuning craft itself. I have often been required to play on instruments that were sorely out of tune. No one likes to play music or hear music on a piano that is need of repair.