Santa Fe's Community Music Center

The Candyman Proprietors

RAND E. COOK

Owner/Manager

Rand still lives on the ranch where he grew up. His father, a tutor at St. John’s College for 35 years, often rode a horse to work. Rand graduated from McCurdy Methodist Mission School in Santa Cruz, NM, where he “learned how to work hard and enjoy and take pride in my achievements.” His first encounter with The Candyman was at the Water Street location when he was three years old, where he was given a jaw harp, his first musical instrument. Over a twenty-year period, Rand rose from Strings & Things Manager to Store Manager and General Manager, assuming ownership in the spring of 2009. “There’s no greater joy than seeing a kid get his first guitar. That’s what dreams are made of and that’s what’s kept me happy all these years,” says Rand. “The relational aspect of this business is the most important thing.”

CINDY COOK

Owner/Marketing Director

Born in Klamath Falls, Oregon, Cindy “traveled all over” because her dad was a cowboy—she attended 14 schools in California, Nebraska, Colorado, and Texas before graduating from Caliche High School in Proctor, CO. Although ranching is her background, she worked towards a bachelor’s degree in marketing and communications and, after raising alpacas with her family for four years, now directs a marketing, consulting, graphic design, and administrative services business in addition to owning The Candyman with her husband, Rand. She recently began violin lessons with the long-term goal of playing in a Christian rock band. “We want to bless people through this business, by helping local musicians to sell their music, network, teach, and perform; recycling instruments to students in need; and other things,” she says. “This business is bigger than all of us—we want our staff, customers, and friends to share in the excitement of serving as ‘the hub’ of Santa Fe’s music community.”

 The Candyman Managers

DAVID BORREGO

Sales Manager

Brought up in a musical family (his grandfather played fiddle and guitar) in Santa Cruz, NM, David has resided in Santa Fe for over 40 years. Graduating from New Mexico Highlands University with a Behavioral Sciences degree, David has worked at The Candyman “on and off” since 1972, the “off” years including stints as National Sales Director for the Hispanic Radio Network (La Red de Radio Ispana) and Director of a Senior Community Service Employment Program for the Eight Northern Counties of New Mexico. He is a “folk-oriented” instrumentalist and singer/songwriter, having played with Lumbre del Sol, Nightline Express, and Starving Cool. What makes David tick?  “A love of music and being a student of human nature,” he says. “All kinds of people walk through these doors; the simple yet sophisticated nature of the business is what keeps me here—that’s the allure. The future for The Candyman is as bright as it’s ever been.”

Click here to see Santa Fe Oneheart's Editorial on David! Note: David's story begins on page 6.

SAM ATKINSON

Service Manager

Band and Orchestra Instruments Sales and Rentals

Sam is, self-admittedly. a “jack of all trades.” He has worked at The Candyman since 2006, handling every service-related issue known to mankind. Born in Las Vegas, NM, Sam was raised in Guadalupita, NM, then moved to Santa Fe where he graduated from Santa Fe High. He gathered music education credits at Santa Fe Community College and the University of sNew Mexico. As a saxophonist, his teachers included “the immortal” Arlen Asher (“some day I will erect a golden statue to that man made from all his former students’ saxophones) and Kevin Zoernig, director of the College of Santa Fe’s Oxygen Ocean program. For Sam, music performance and work are intertwined. “The Candyman is a state of mind,” he says. “If you live, breathe, eat, drink, and sleep music, then you work here as long as you can. There are no short-timers here.”

  The Candyman Staff

CODY DROUIN  

Sales Specialist

Cody moved to Santa Fe from Glendale, CA as a one year old. Home-schooled, he graduated from The Tutorial where his music teacher, Moe Zimmerberg, taught him how to jam, listen, and understand music theory. Cody plays bass and drums and has played in several bands, including Everyone Only, Proboscis Jones, and EO. His father, a guitarist, shopped at The Candyman when Cody was young, so he was well-acquainted with the employees before ever working at the store, and when he started performing, teaching, and touring he made a point of stopping in for equipment and supplies. Cody is also a second-degree black belt who loves to draw, paint, skateboard, long board, rock climb, and hike. About The Candyman’s move into a bigger space, Cody says, “The store now has a mystique—it looks more professional and dramatic, and the isolated rooms for drums and guitars are great for people who want to try out our equipment. It is a better environment for musicians to hang out.”

rosS HAMLIN 

Music Education Director

Ross is originally from Minnesota, lived in Boston for 10+ years after graduating from Berklee. Needing a dramatic change in landscape, he moved to Santa Fe in 2004 and started working in the now-defunct Candyman record department in 2005. Primarily a private guitar teacher (www.fullcircleguitar.com), he also does all the book ordering and helps out wherever needed the rest of the time. rosS is especially excited to see the lesson and ensemble rooms explode with activity this fall and looks forward to the evolution of all perceptions of what the Candyman is and will be!

SEAN HEALEN

Purchasing

“I bought my first real guitar at The Candyman almost 20 years ago” says Sean. Sean, who comes from a family of loggers, was raised in Missoula, MT and has lived in Santa Fe for over 24 years. Sean’s father was a nightclub pianist (“I literally slept under his piano for years”) and Sean knew from a young age that he wanted to perform. Nevertheless, his journeys took him first to the corporate world, where he burned out, took his earnings, bought some gear, and got back to playing music. (The Sean Healen Band’s CD “Floodplain,” produced by John Kurzweg, was awarded Best Rock CD of 2009 by the New Mexico Music Awards.) After a stint at Santa Fe’s Stepbridge Studios, Sean landed at The Candyman, where he’s worked since 2002. “What makes it special is that it’s run by musicians for musicians,” says Sean. I hope The Candyman is always around.”

BEN LUCERO 

Sales Specialist

Born and raised in England, the much traveled Steve Powell moved to Santa Fe (for the first time!) in 1998; "Like a lot of employees, I went away and came back more than once," says Steve.

An opera aficionado, a background he once put to good use selling classical CDs and DVDs, Steve holds a degree in Fine Arts from Portsmouth University in England and attended a Masters course at Norwich University in Vermont.

The keyboard center in our store is Steve's special concern. He has a strong interest in improv, playing 7-string, 8-string and baritone guitars: a musician since the age of 12, he has developed an enthusiasm for the lute and is attempting to write an opera - "a very long-term project!"

Although Steve particularly enjoys relating to classical musicians, singers and players, he says, "In any musical interaction or conversation, there's always the possibility that a light will go on and someone will venture on a whole new voyage of discovery."

CHELSIE REED

Administrative Assistant

The youngest member of The Candyman crew, Chelsie is the daughter of owners, Rand and Cindy Cook. After leaving her job as a dog bather, she began working at The Candyman in November 2009 helping out in the office and keeping the store's overall appearance looking sharp. Going to school to be a sea mammal trainer, Chelsie also spends lots of time as an amature photographer. Most of the photos you see on our website were taken by her. She also loves to spend time riding her horse, Pierce. "I've known must of the guys that work here since I was little because my stepdad, Rand, had worked here for 20 years before buying the Candyman. We are more like family than co-workers." says Chelsie. "The best part about working here are the people that work here and the people that come in. I love getting to talk to our customers and really getting to know them."

 CASE TANNER

Repair Technician

Case arrived in Santa Fe by way of California in 1993, where he started playing the bass at the tender age of eight. "I heard James Jamerson of The Four Tops on the radio," he says, "and I thought, 'that's it, that's how it's suppose to sound." A self-taught musician, Case began playing gigs at 13 and, by this point, has played and recorded with 'everybody," including Sean Healen, Dr. John, Bonnie Raitt, and Leon Russell. Case has worked at The Candyman since 2004 with acoustic and electric guitar repair as his specialty. "I learned to repair after breaking my own instruments and needing to fix them," he says, so I don't mind getting the stuff that people drop." In his spare time, Case is also known to be handy with computer and car repair.

TRACY TAGUE

Accountant

Tracy was selling school supplies when she applied for an accounting position at The Candyman in 1995. Born in Kalamazoo, MI, Tracy holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Oklahoma University and has completed the equivalent of a graduate degree in accounting. She has performed as a soprano choral singer, is facile with computer software, and hires out as a bookkeeping consultant. As an accountant, she approves of the business’ transition to an exclusively musical instruments operation. “From an accounting point of view, musical instruments always out performed the high fidelity and CD part of the business,” she says. “Now that Strings & Things has moved to the larger side of The Candyman Center, it’s in the space it deserves.” She adds, “I am very thankful for The Candyman’s founder, Matthew Schwarzman—he was my business mentor and I am very grateful to be a part of his legacy.”