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May 9, 2008
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About finecases.com Meet finecases.com StaffArtist EndorsementsSponsorships
AffiliationsAwardsCertificationsAcknowledgmentsPrivacy & SecurityHow to Order
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~ Meet finecases.com Staff ~
Frank Eastes Owner
Andersonville, Tennessee
Finecases.com is the brainchild of Frank Eastes. Frank designed, coded, owns and operates this website. And for a moment, we'll change from third-person narrative to first-person and you can now know that I, me — Frank— pretty much made this website happen, with a little help along the way. I also created all the functional and visual design and wrote all the narrative you read throughout the site. I've been making music since age 10 when I started with classical violin, and changed to banjo in 1977 at age 17. But I never really made music my focus. At that time, independent documentary filmmaking and graphic design sparked my creative juices and became my livelihood, with music relegated to that future "someday" in my life.
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| Photos courtesy of www.KnoxPics.org |
Photo courtesy of Doug Jones |
| Frank occasionally sits in with various local and regional groups, here gigging with other local musicians on live local webcast radio station WDVX-FM. "I live for the ultimate jam session" says Frank, whose laid-back banjo style blends well with just about anything going on … here shown picking at Little Brother’s Jam Fall 2006 in Conyers, Georgia. |
In the years since my life has taken many interesting turns, and ultimately I landed in east Tennessee, my home state (I was born in Nashville). I have freelanced as a graphic designer and print consultant in the Knoxville area for many years. If you've lived in the east Tennessee area any time over the last 20 years, there's a good chance you may have seen my graphic work at some point somewhere.
Since the mid-1980s I have also been in numerous acoustic bands in the east Tennessee area and have performed at hundreds of large and small venues over the last 23 years. I am including my personal Music Biography for those who may be interested. If you live in the area and enjoy live acoustic music, it’s very possible you have heard me at some point in various band and combo settings.
The idea for finecases.com came to me after a well-known shipping company damaged my custom-made banjo, partially the result of a poorly-designed case. The light bulb came on for me, and I got to work. After nearly 4,000 hours of intense design and code work over an 18-month period, I self-financed and quietly launched finecases.com in August 2003. I'm continuing to enhance this site on an ongoing basis, and I have lots of cool and original ideas which I intend to implement as I'm able to.
In many ways the existence of this site goes against the "convention wisdom" which has emerged since the internet bust a few years ago, but is very much in the original pioneering spirit that makes the internet a level playing field, still. But that's a story best reserved, to be told another day.
So for now, I'll end the first-person narrative and return to third-person as I continue writing the words which follow…
Theresa Gideon CustomerCare
Knoxville, Tennessee
Theresa settled in east Tennessee many years ago, a native of Rothschild, Wisconsin. Theresa remains one of the backbones of Customer Service at finecases.com, when she's not helping with special projects for the website. Her enthusiasm and dedication to this project seem without bounds and it shows.
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Joshua Gilmore CustomerCare
Shipping and Receiving
Clinton, Tennessee
Josh has been in the East Tennessee area most of his life and brings a lot of enthusiasm and energy to finecases.com. Josh helps out with customer emails and phone calls, and is also in charge of Shipping and Receiving. You can expect a refined sense of service when dealing with Josh about your case or gig bag needs.
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Al Owrutzky Advisor
Lenoir City, Tennessee
Al Owrutzky has played the blues since he first laid hands on a guitar in 1966. After picking up banjo along the way (even taking a few lessons from Tony Trishka) he relocated to Tennessee from native New York City in 1976 and has been a part of the east Tennessee music scene ever since. In 1978 Al became owner of The Music Place, a small music store based in Lenoir City which he owns and operates still. You can catch Al's blues band Mojo at gigs throughout the Knoxville and east Tennessee area.
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Photo courtesy of
Alan Shamblin/Ambient Life Imaging |
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Steve Perry Advisor
Friendsville, Tennessee
Steve, a native of Seattle, Washington, wears several hats. Besides just being an interesting person, Steve recently changed professions, graduating first in his class from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 2002. But Steve has a passion for making violins, too, and he spends about 70% of his time in the violin world and the remainder with his small law practice. Steve is our corporate attorney, friend and advisor.
Steve was initially trained as a pianist, including work with Max Camp at the University of South Carolina. He studied classical guitar performance with the noted performer Craig Carroll, and has attended master classes with many top guitar performers. He is a self taught fiddler, mandolin player, and whistle player. Steve hand builds his own benchmade violins. He also "does all things musical" in partnership with his wife Gianna, and markets his high-quality handcrafted instruments through his online store, www.giannaviolins.com.
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Photo courtesy of Gianna Violins |
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We are seeking other talented individuals who may want to
become a part of this growing website. We have needs in areas of
management, planning, operations, specific product experience and knowledge,
creative design and code, and more.
Please contact us and tell us what talents, energies and experiences
you can bring to finecases.com.
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