By Bill Barth and Stephanie Klett
Two words sum up Chris Buttleman’s outlook on life.
“Music saves.”
The founder-owner of the Lake Geneva House of Music lives and works to the rhythm of that beat. With incremental, day-to-day progress he’s turning an old log pancake house into a hip venue for people who love live entertainment.
The site – located at N3241 County Road H, just outside the city – originally housed Lumberman’s Lodge Pancake House. For those who have traveled the state, think Paul Bunyan’s in Wisconsin Dells and Minocqua. Built in the early 1960s, the business failed and the 10,000 square foot timber lodge fell into disrepair. Looking for a suitable property to house his development ideas, Chris acquired the site 10 years ago. “Slow and steady,” as he puts it, Chris has been growing the business and rehabilitating the large building and grounds.
The result is a developing musical dreamscape, where students can learn to play, where live entertainment lovers can experience shows, where festival-goers can join hundreds of others for themed events, where food and beverage tastes can be indulged, with more plans each season.
“I’ve spent my whole life in the music business,” Chris told us during an interview and tour of the business. “I think I’ve done just about everything you can do in that industry, from starting off as a musician, a guitar technician, tour manager and production manager. I owned a record label, a publishing company, and I’ve been a tour manager on the road with a number of bands. A music teacher, now a bar owner, and music venue entrepreneur and promoter.”
That’s a long journey for a kid who grew up on an Iowa farm. It began for Chris, who had learned to love playing guitar, when he graduated from high school and moved to Los Angeles “to pursue my rock and roll dreams.”
“I got there with about $20 to my name,” he laughed.
Hard work, skill and talent helped him make steady progress, from performing with bands to providing guitar technician services, eventually opening his own shop with production facilities. At one time or another, plenty of big names in the music business – including Paul McCartney – rotated through the shop and used his services.
One customer – a top guitarist for Elton John – brought a job offer to go on the road with the legendary singer, with rehearsals set to start in Paris, France.
“I had nothing to lose. I was in my early 20s so I went for it,” Chris said. He spent the summer working stadium concerts across Europe, and eventually toured almost 30 countries worldwide with Elton John. A signed poster, from a stop in Israel, graces a wall at Lake Geneva House of Music.
After working with Elton John, Chris landed a spot as a guitar technician for the Eagles reunion tour.
“I watched them sit in a circle with a boombox, a stack of CDs and songbooks, as they relearned their music,” he told us.
Next came an opportunity to do tour management, with Chris handling arrangements for various alternative rock bands. But after more than a decade living out of a suitcase, he says it was time to get out of the LA scene and a return to the Midwest beckoned. His brother persuaded him to check out Lake Geneva. Chris was hooked.
“It’s got a small town quality of life, it’s beautiful, and the proximity to Chicago, Milwaukee and Madison is good for travel,” he said.
Various ventures connected to the music industry followed and eventually led Chris to seek out his own venue where he could build a business that catered to students, professional players, live entertainment lovers and more, with room to grow as new ideas presented. The old pancake house was available.
He started teaching – “I found out I was good at it” – and began repairing and building out the site, including adding an outdoor amphitheater.
Today, Chris considers his operation to be the parent company for five branches of business. There’s Rising Stars, the nonprofit music school. House of Music Entertainment produces ticketed concerts and events. Lake Geneva Taco Fest has been the largest to date, drawing over 5,000 people. Next is Wisconsin Cheese Festival, May 17-19, pairing blues, folk and country with cheese artisans. A blues and jazz festival is set for June; Geneva Jam on Aug. 9-10 (a fundraiser for the music school); Taco Fest returns in the fall.
House of Music Production is involved with off-site music bookings, such as providing Walworth County Ribfest with bands, as well as weddings and private parties. House of Music Cafe is evolving into a restaurant, bar and coffee house, with rentable space for private events.
The fifth branch is Geneva Outdoor Market, a farmers market which will operate on Sundays with 30-40 vendors, live acoustic music and the patio bar. (For more information or tickets, go to lghom.com)
“Every day I try to build and improve, strike the right balance of life and chase some dreams to make something that will truly be very unique, nothing else like it,” he said.
Chris is excited about a ticketed tribute event July 6, with bands covering Queen, Led Zeppelin and The Who. He has plenty of other plans, including a gift shop, jazz nights, open-mic nights and smoked barbeque.
“Beer, Blues and BBQ.” Now that’s music to Bill’s ears.
We plan to join the fun whenever we can. Steph will be the one clutching a mimosa.
Bill Barth is the former Editor of the Beloit Daily News, and a member of the Wisconsin Newspaper Hall of Fame. His wife, Stephanie Klett, is President and CEO of Visit Lake Geneva, and the former Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism.
