"People didn't just come in for the instruments we carried... It was more than that, it was a meeting place."

McPherson is synonymous with music in Ketchikan. Opened in 1986 by Roy and Tina McPherson, McPherson Music was the driving force behind Ketchikan's music scene for decades. The shop was much more than just a music store. The McPhersons offered music lessons and started several bands for students and adults including the Windjammers, Soundwaves, and the Community Concert Band.

Today, Roy's former students can be seen performing throughout Ketchikan, often in multiple different bands. Many of his former students are teaching a new generation the power of music. One former student is now conducting the Ketchikan Community Concert Band, another is a music teacher at Schoenbar Middle School, and another is the Chior Director at Ketchikan Highschool.

Dedicated educators and passionate musicians contribute to our cultural landscape, deepen our relationships, and sustain our community for future generations.

Jazz Night was a fundraiser for the Jerry Galley Memorial Music Scholarship Fund, the annual concert featured high school and adult bands playing an assortment of jazz. The scholarship fund was established in the spring of 2000 to honor the late Jerry Galley, a young man who was well loved in the Ketchikan community. Each year the annual concert raised money to help Ketchikan High School seniors pursue the arts in college.