Who is August Musick anyway?

Growing up in the early 60s in north Louisiana after being born in the Mississippi Delta, it seemed that Sylvia Rusche was destined for a life enriched by music.

Her father and uncle owned a vending machine distributorship, many of which were Sea Burg jukeboxes, at that time a fixture in every diner and gas station across the country. As a result, she was the recipient of most every new 45 rpm record that came out. At 11 years old, her father brought home such a record and told her about a new band from Liverpool, England whom everyone was beginning to talk about. That record was “I Want to Hold Your Hand” by the one and only Beatles. She was at once and forever changed.

The subsequent years included autographs and encounters with the likes of George Jones and Merle Haggard (thanks to her dad’s love of the Louisiana Hayride) as well as an infamous camp out at City Park Stadium in New Orleans during the Beatles first American tour in 1964. Record piles grew and many miles have been logged to countless concerts far and wide. The hours spent listening to music… those are probably incalculable. This love of music has only grown through the years and resulted in a passion to promote musicians in her adopted hometown of St Petersburg, Florida.

Promoting Independent Musicians

About four years ago to promote this endeavor, she created August Musick, named after her grandchildren, August and Ethan, whose last name just happens to be Musick. And how prophetic (and convenient) was that?? Her mission is to promote independent musicians and provide them a special venue that includes a respectful and appreciative audience…all in the interest of keeping the music playing. She found the perfect place at the Studio@620, where diverse groups of people come together over a shared love of visual and performing arts…an alliance that has proven just about perfect. The last several years at the Studio have included memorable evenings with some of Americana’s finest singer-songwriters whom we now count as friends and the future includes many more.

Although her record collection has grown exponentially through the years, the crowning jewel is still that 45 rpm from 1963…the place where it all began.