A consummate musician, Dennis spent much of his early life playing music (guitar and fiddle) for a living. If not on the ski slopes at nearby Bridger Bowl, where he ski-bummed and instructed for years, then he was playing a concert or club somewhere in the Northwest, or teaching lessons on the guitar or fiddle. A chance meeting with Steve Carlson in 1974 at Montana State University turned into a longtime friendship which would immerse both in the musical instrument making world for many years. As the fledging Flatiron Mandolin Company was started, Dennis and Steve were partners in the initial business plan. Although Dennis’ involvement in skiing and gigging withdrew him from active partnership in the business, he was always involved in some aspect of building instruments at Flatiron. Wet sanding and buffing (which he compares to scrubbing dishes) were his early skills, but when Flatiron started making carved top A5 and F5 mandolins, his focus switched to making rib structures, fitting tone bars and tap tuning plates, all of which was his specialty for years. After the Gibson Guitar acquisition of Flatiron, and the subsequent Gibson acoustic guitar plant project, Dennis became general manager of the Gibson Montana manufacturing facility.
Since 1991 Dennis has worked in real estate development in the Gallatin Valley. When presented with the opportunity to again partner with Steve in musical instrument making, this time with the legendary Zeta instruments and pickups, he immediately agreed, and Zeta found it’s new home ensconced in the now rich musical instrument heritage of Bozeman, Montana.
“Dennis was raised in Westchester, PA and I in Boulder, CO. Our youth was spent riding unicycles, bowling, playing pinball, and we each had a pet monkey. We first met at an MSU mini concert where Dennis was performing. His playing of ‘Leo Kottke’ style slide guitar was unbelievable to me. After the concert I went up and asked him if he gave guitar lessons, and for the next year or so he taught me slide guitar, ‘Vaseline Machine Gun’, etc. But it was our youthful passion, ‘PINBALL’, that really solidified our early friendship. Pinball became our almost daily routine. At the local pool parlor and bowling alley, we could make a single quarter play for hours. The dispute clause in our Zeta Partnership reads, “all unresolvable issues will be decided at the bowling alley . . . best two out of three. Ahh . . . the bonds of friendship.”
Steve Carlson