In the early 1970’s Robert Lowrey had left University with ambitions of being a writer. His father was a musician passing through Toronto, when he met and married Rob’s mother. At this time he would supplement his income by tuning pianos (a musician’s life can be difficult, and it was in the midst of The Great Depression).

By the time Rob left school his father had developed Parkinson’s disease, so Rob Jr. took him out on his work, and began to do the tuning, while being guided by his father. Robert Lowrey Sr. died in 1974 and Rob began “fixing-up” older pianos in the family garage, and moved to a small shop not long after. It was about that time that the famed Heintzman piano company left Toronto, and Rob hired 5 of their skilled technicians who had been laid off.