There are several easily recognizable landmarks in Murray, such as the old smokestack, the Murray Theater, Murray Park and the Salt Lake County Fairgrounds.

Ranking near the top of the list is Day Murray Music, 4914 S. State, a family-owned business that has been at the same location for nearly 50 years and probably will be there for many more if the Day family has its way.As with many businesses, Day Murray Music started out small, but over the years has expanded to adjoining buildings and now includes the Arlette Day Cultural Arts Centre, a concert room adjoining the retail outlet that contains two pianos and an $85,000 pipe organ.

Logan native Arlette Hart was working at her brother's business, Hart Brothers Music Co. in Sugar House in 1946. John Day, who grew up in Hunter (now part of West Valley City), had just returned from serving five years with the U.S. Army.

Relatives thought they should meet, but Arlette was a little hesitant about the arrangement because she didn't like blind dates. She finally agreed and they met at Hart Brothers Music on May 19, 1946, "to look each other over."

Arlette thought John seemed arrogant, but it was actually shyness, she said. Their first date involved music-dancing to Frankie Carle at the old Rainbow Rendevu.

On Nov. 15, 1946, they were married and have have been playing sweet music together since. They began operating the store together, a week before they were married.

Elna and Merlin Parker opened Murray Music in January 1946, but it was taking too much of their time away from their family so they wanted to find new owners. Elna is Arlette's sister.

Arlette said the Parkers asked her brother, Mickey Hart, to run the store and he did until November when the Days took over.

Renamed Day Murray Music, the operation had only a fraction of today's space and Arlette said the wooden floors added to its unattractive look. They started fixing up the front part of the building and lived in the rear portion for several years.

Their children, Val and Klint, were born while they lived behind the music store and the Days finally purchased a house in Murray in 1951.

Arlette said their goal was to build the business one customer at a time and they did that by selling the old 78 and 45 rpm records, sheet music, instruments and LDS books.

At first, customers didn't realize Day Murray Music had jazz, classical and big band records, so the big sellers of the day were Tex Ritter's album "Rye Whiskey" and Roy Acuff's winner "I Ain't Heard Nobody Pray." Arlette said she worked at Hart Brothers Music and was used to a certain clientele and when she came to Murray is was a culture shock.

Arlette said many years ago Murray businesses were not progressive, but instead of being critical about the situation she and her husband made certain their music store changed to be modern. Arlette became heavily involved in civic work.

She served two terms on the board of directors of the Murray Chamber of Commerce and in 1976 was elected president. John served three terms on the board.

Arlette received the Total Citizen Award in 1981 from the U.S. State Chamber of Commerce and in 1984 was named Woman of the Year by the Green Sheet Newspapers. In 1971 she received a community service award from the Chamber of Commerce and in 1958 received a plaque from Murray Teenagers for their involvement in helping hold teenager dances at the Hytone.

In 1982, John received a Distinguished Citizen Award from the Murray Symphony, the first award given by the group.

Another memento in the Cultural Arts Centre is a small violin and bow that Robert Lentz played as a child. Lentz, who still teaches in one of the teaching rooms at Day Murray Music, was one of the original Little Rascals in 1934 movies and later played the kettle drums in the Utah Symphony.

He and Arlette initiated the Murray Symphony that held concerts in Murray High School between 1982 and 1991.

Today, Day Murray Music mails its sing-along tapes and sheet music all over the world, but the bulk of their out-of-state sales go to California and Nevada, Arlette said. In addition, they sell statues of famous composers and replicas of musical instruments.

The building where Day Murray Music started was the Waverly Building, built in 1897, and it is listed on the Historical Sites Register. Over the years, the Day family has made changes as the business has grown. For example, the back part where instruments are sold was added 30 years ago, and they purchased the old LaRie's dress shop.

Eight years ago, the company expanded to the north by purchasing an old pawn shop so the cultural center could be added. In addition to the retail space, there are five teaching studios on the main level and six teaching studios on the second level.

The Cultural Arts Centre is used for workshops, recitals and concerts and can be rented for those events, Arlette said.

In addition to 20 employees, the Days have 12 grandchildren and all are musically inclined. The day a Deseret News reporter and photographer team visited the store, Adam Day, Klint's son, played a selection on his homemade violin. Adam is a senior at Taylorsville High School and a Deseret News Sterling Scholar candidate in music.

Arlette said she and her husband could have given up the music store several times, but they kept going and never worried about competition. She believes in giving back to the community through civic and community work. Arlette adores the people of Murray.

Klint is the sheet music specialist for the store and Val directs the instrument and karaoke portion. Six of their grandchildren have worked at the store. They also have a daughter, Connie Christensen, who lives in Corvalis, Ore. She plays the piano and sings.

*****

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Awards: DAY MURRAY MUSIC

ARLETTE:

1981 Total Citizen Award, State Chamber of Commerce

1984 Woman of the Year, Green Sheet

1971 Community Service Award, Chamber of Commerce

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1958 Total Citizen Award

1958 Murray Teenagers plaque

JOHN:

1982 Distinguished Service Award, Murray Symphony

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