Toot Your Own Horn with Sue Wills (Episode 59)

Welcome to another amazing episode of Toot Your Own Horn: Music Matters, hosted by Lisa Canning from Lisa's Clarinet Shop and Working Musicians Academy! In Episode 59, Lisa sits down with Sue Wills, whose path proves that a life in music doesn’t have to follow a straight line to be meaningful. Sue spent 34 years working for the Police Department, but her real beat was always the clarinet section. After an accident with a plastic clarinet and a 10-year break from music, Sue proves that it is never too late to pick up your instrument again. From running a rowdy German Polka band to playing alongside top military musicians, her story is the perfect reminder that music is a lifelong home. In this episode, you will learn: 1) The Origin Story: Why braces forced Sue to choose the clarinet (and why she stuck with it). 2) The Pivot: How she went from a "business major" dropout back to a first-chair musician. 3) The Community: The secret to finding your "family" in local community bands. Why she came back: Sue credits her husband—and one important conversation with a professional musician—for sparking her return to the stage after a decade of silence. Living near Army, Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine bases, Sue found a unique community of retired military pros. This environment created a rare opportunity where high-level musicianship is part of everyday life, and Sue has been able to grow right in the middle of it. To learn more about Lisa’s work, visit: https://lisasclarinetshop.com and https://workingmusiciansacademy.com                                              👉 Please like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes of Toot Your Own Horn: Music Matters! 📢 Please share this episode to help us reach 3,000 subscribers. 🗣Please also like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes. #LisaCanning #SusanWarner #TootYourOwnHorn #MusicMatters #LisasClarinetShop #Inc500FemaleFoundersList2025 #Inc2025MidwestRegionalFastestGrowing #BestSmallBusinessesInAmericaTop100 #BetterYourBest #GetSeriO #Clarinet #Flute #Saxophone #WindPlaying #WindRepairTrainingAcademy #IAEOU #MusicJobs #MusicIndustry #CO100SmallBusinessHonorees #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusiness #ClarinetCommunity #MusicEducation #WorkingMusiciansAcademy #CultureShift #MusicBreakthrough