Levelland remembers a beloved educator and community leader - John Henry Hartin - who was the foundation of the nationally known music program at South Plains College.
Hartin, who passed away on Jan. 29, was a musical talent who served nearly three decades at South Plains College where he made his mark developing the Commercial Music Program. He also ran a music store, Texas Music Supply, on the city square with his business partner, Lonnie Joe Howell. Howell met Hartin when he moved to Levelland in 1975. Howell was teaching mathematics at Hart ISD, Texas, and on the weekend Howell was playing at small clubs. Howell heard that Hartin had started a bluegrass and country music program, which is now the Commercial Music Program at SPC, and he knew he needed to learn more about music and guitar.
Howell began taking lessons from Hartin at his music store. After six years, it was time to move on to something bigger, Howell had enough money to go back to school and he decided to join Hartin’s program, and after two years, he and Hartin grew really close. “He said, ‘I like the way you play the harmonica,’ and after I graduated in 1980, I went to Belmont College and things progressed,” said Howell.
Hartin opened a video company called Texas Music and Video and extended an invitation for Howell to teach harmonica on video. Later, Howell moved to Nashville to sell these video titles and merchandise for the store.
After 20 years, Howell moved back to Levelland when Hartin reached out and told him he wanted to retire. In 2002, he and Hartin started remodeling the video business into a music store. “From the time I met John, he just had an open, comfortable, honest, truthful relationship with people. He was a magnet, people were drawn to him. Not only by his talent, but he was just a good person,” said Howell.
Howell and Hartin fed off of each other's creativity and drive and the store flourished into what it is today.
“Through it all we became kind of a mecca for the music business for this town. Our trust in one another grew and we became best friends,” said Howell. “Through the years we played with many great musicians and so many of them have called and expressed their feelings and told me what John did for them. I can’t remember how many people have said that if it hadn’t been for John Hartin, they wouldn’t be here.”
Hartin is recognized in the Buddy Holly Walk of Fame and Nebraska Rock N Roll Hall of Fame.
Hartin and Howell had a friendship that beat the odds and Howell will continue Hartin’s legacy as much as he can.
“It is hard to see him not being here. He was a big personality of the store,” said Howell. “I don’t think anybody can match what he did for others. Everything I do and say is something positive about John and he would always give something to someone that gave them the confidence just to be good at what they were doing.”
Howell said he wants Hartin to be remembered for his perseverance in the music industry and the mark he made in Levelland.
“He made a lot of friends, he shared a lot of music and he’s been honored for what he did. I don’t think he expected anything except for musicians to pass down the torch,” said Howell. “He just breathed teaching and guitar. It was truly a blessing and life’s blessing to have John as a partner.
Now at the helm at the SPC Commercial Music department is coordinator Brent Wheeler. Though Wheeler and Hartin never really knew each other well, they were always there to offer insight.
“He was a very good visionary man, so it was always good to have him on board even though he had retired,” said Wheeler. “He saw something unique and special.”
Even though Wheeler never worked with Hartin, he said he saw the vision Hartin had for the music industry and having kids develop that ability, have an idea and run with it.
“He wanted to increase the music skills and offer higher education for these kids, and SPC saw that and took him in,” said Wheeler. “People didn’t know it was needed at the time but once it got started, it set the course that would grow into this department.”
Wheeler and his wife, Emily, originally met Hartin when they were students at Utah State University and Hartin had an infinite respect for Emily and her ability to teach and her love for music. Once they completed their master’s degrees, there was an opening at SPC and Hartin reached out to both of them and offered them positions.
“He saw in Emily what was missing. They had a lot of female guitarists and vocalists, and even after he retired, he still kept looking to expand his vision,” said Wheeler.
The music program never stopped growing and Hartin’s vision never ceased with the Bluegrass and country scene.
When Wheeler first began at SPC there was a rise in rock music.
“Back to his initial vision of what John was, we were going to have to expand to meet the needs of the industry and so rock grew,” said Wheeler. “I was always on the lookout for where the music industry was headed because that's what John did and I wanted to keep that going. I’ve always kept that vision open if we have to adapt because this industry changes so fast.”
Even after Hartin retired, his legacy was still seen and felt throughout the program and will continue through many years to come.
“He was a visionary and he was always looking for ways to provide for the industry and looking at trends. And that’s exactly what we do - we’re trying to adapt with digital music and make sure we’re staying true to the roots of the program,” said Wheeler.