Founded in 1964, Wingert-Jones started as a labor of love between two instrument salesmen with a passion for grand, high-end band music. Merrill Jones started small, attending the 1964 Mid-West National Band Clinic with just one piece: Emperata Overture by Claude T. Smith. From those humble beginnings, Wingert-Jones has grown into a nationally known publisher.
Merrill Jones and George Wingert met as traveling instrument salesmen in the Midwest and became good friends with a number of connections in the industry. Together, they founded a small print and retail shop in Kansas City selling just a few pieces by their sole composer, Claude T. Smith. Smith would remain the chief composer for Wingert-Jones until his death in 1987. His music was the foundation Wingert-Jones was built on and still features prominently to this day.
Today, Wingert-Jones continues to publish some of the best pieces of band music in the world, but they have expanded their library to include orchestral and educational pieces as well. Our Achievement and Early Achievement music series are among the most popular hands on music learning collections in the nation. This year, Wingert-Jones is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a line of commemorative editions featuring many of the best pieces ever published by the company.