Emil Karl Blessing was born in 1880. His birthplace was Oppelsbohm, a small village near Stuttgart, Germany. He emigrated to America at the age of fifteen.

A toolmaker, known for his artistry in crafting valves, Emil Karl launched his dream from a small garage in Elkhart, Indiana in 1906, making brasswind valve assemblies. Production of trumpets and cornets would follow.

His sons, E. Karl, Jr. and Fred, both accomplished musicians, joined their father in business, and old-world craftmanship and tooling expertise gained momentum- amomentum which would catapult Blessing to a place of preeminence in the music world during the coming decades.

...The drama of each decade is etched in the annals of history- the 40's added much to its pages. World War II ended at last, and the Big Band era made its welcome debut on the world scene.

In 1940, the present Blessing factory was erected at its West Beardsley Avenue location in Elkhart, and master craftsmen were now making instruments in a progressive manufacturing environment with modern precision capabilities.

The Blessing name had become a hallmark of the music world in America. Big Band luminaries such as Muggsy Spanier, Bob Crosby, Horace Heidt, Ted Lewis and others endorsed Blessing trumpets and cornets.

Emil Karl Blessing died in 1954. In the tradition pioneered by its founder, the standard of excellence continued - a tribute to his memory. The 1950's marked a period of accelerated production, enabling Blessing to manufacture trumpets and cornets for other musical instrument companies under various brand names - giving some present day competitors their start in the brasswind business.

Virginia, daughter of E. Karl Blessing, Jr., was married in 1955. The declining health and subsequent retirement of her father prefaced the purchase of the company in 1964 by her husband, Merle Johnson.

Dramatic expansion of product offering over the next twenty years brought center stage focus to the popular Blessing trigger trombones and marching brasswinds

In 1974 the company's flute line was introduced and remains an important part of the present Blessing musical instrument repertoire.

By the early 1970's, instruments were being exported... and the Blessing name gained recognition throughout the world. Keeping pace with the ever-changing world market, Blessingcontinues to annually display its products at the International Frankfurt Musik Messe in Germany.

In 1978 Randy Johnson joined his father in the company.

Once more, a partner with history - 100 Blessing fanfare trumpets heralded the 1984 opening ceremonies of the XXIII Olympiad in Los Angeles

With the retirement of Merle Johnson in 1996, Randy, as Blessing's President succeeds his great grandfather, Emil Karl. Blessing stands at the vanguard of musical value and integrity as the oldest family-owned musical instrument manufacturer in Elkhart.

With the dawning of this new millennium, Randy Johnson leads the Blessing company as it continues to be a premiere source of quality brasswind and woodwind instruments throughout the world!