The Man Behind The Store

The Steelpan Store was created by Matt Potts. Matt has studied percussion since the age of 4, and started studying pan at age 17. Matt got into the pan world simply out of curiosity. While going into his senior year in high school, Matt had the urge to learn steelpan. Not knowing where to get a pan, he went on eBay and bought a C lead from a guy in Trinidad. In retrospect, he was quite fortunate that the pan was pretty decent. Matt started out by teaching himself how to play the pan using various beginner piano and marimba books. He continued to teach himself how to play this instrument through high school and was the first person to perform a solo on pan for the Illinois solo/ensemble competition. After high school Matt knew there was only one college for him, Northern Illinois University.

Although Matt started as a mechanical engineering major, he was always involved with pan through the All University Steelband, and percussion. After getting through his first year Matt joined the percussion studio and the NIU World Steelband. During his first couple years in the NIU World Steelband, Matt started developing a major interest in not only pan but also in it's construction. Matt started studying the construction of the instrument in his free time after classes from Clifford Alexis. After two years of studying percussion as a percussion major, it became time for Matt to pick an emphasis. It was at this point that Matt realized that his true love was pan.

After some gentle coaxing from a good friend on the bus ride back from a gig, Matt decided to become a pan major. This is when everything started to really gain momentum. The more Matt was around and involved with pan, the more he wanted to be. This started his obsession with this great instrument and his interest in everything about the pan is still continuing to grow to this day.

The reason this store was created is simple; to help other pannists. Matt always had issues finding the products he was looking for when he got into pan. He never knew where to find high quality pan related items. Matt decided that in order to help out the steelpan community, he would create a store that offered anything a pannist might be looking for in one location.