Founder Allan Cole (left) opened Every Body Jams in May; the school is supported by general manager Dustie Shelton (right). (Katlynn Fox/Community Impact newspaper)
Every Body Jams is a space where performers, regardless of age, experience or physical limitations, can make music, founder Allan Cole said. The music school was built to expand access to music for all students.
“We are a place where everybody can learn, and does learn, to play music and do it together,” Cole said.
The history
Cole played music for the first time at 55 years old after his daughter, Meredith, inspired him to start. Meredith Cole is a singer, pianist and one of six instructors at Every Body Jams.
“I said to her, ‘Meredith, one of my life regrets is I never learned how to play a musical instrument.’ That was true,” Cole said. “I'd always wished I'd done that. And she looked at me and said, ‘Dad, it's never too late.’”
Despite a long list of excuses Cole had as to why it was “too late” for him to start learning to play an instrument, including his young-onset Parkinson’s disease diagnosis, he began taking bass guitar lessons.
“It made me see the world differently, more richly and more nuanced,” Cole said. “It made me more open to other people's experiences and helped my symptoms with Parkinson's, and really transformed me in ways that are profound.”
Every Body Jams has drum sets and various instruments available for students to borrow, though people can also bring their own. (Katlynn Fox/Community Impact newspaper)
Why it matters
Cole launched Every Body Jams in May 2026 because he wanted to create an inclusive community for all experience levels and abilities.
“We want people, especially people who have been told they can't play music or never assumed that they could, to come here and we find ways for them to do that,” Cole said.
How it works
Every Body Jams has a few options for musicians to receive personalized instruction. Students can register for one-hour weekly private lessons for $400 per month. The lessons start with one instrument; to add an instrument is $150 per month. Students can take lessons on the drums, guitar, bass, keyboard and vocals.
“We have people that come in not knowing how to play anything or sing anything and after that first lesson, came out with this huge smile on their face like ‘holy hell they got me to play part of a song,’ and that's pretty awesome,” Dustie Shelton, general manager at Every Body Jams, said.
For an additional $100, students can sign up for the 16-week Rocklab program where musicians learn how to play together. At the end of each 16-week session, students will perform in a showcase at Every Body Jams.
“It's really about setting goals and pushing yourself and growing with other people in ways that are meaningful and life giving,” Cole said. “That’s what we're here for.”
Every Body Jams also has a band coaching program starting at $375 for a two-hour session. Other offerings include audition coaching and songwriting lessons.
The music school, located in the Wolf House, also holds a series called Interviews with Ian, where Assistant Creative Director Ian MacDougall interviews musicians in an intimate setting.(Katlynn Fox/Community Impact newspaper)
Staying local
Every Body Jams is located in the Wolf House, a 19th century mansion and designated landmark. Cole chose East Austin for the music school intentionally, he explained. He admires the creative spirit, grit and history present in East Austin. Cole loves the opportunity to serve a community that historically hasn’t had as much support, he said.
Looking ahead
In December, Every Body Jams will launch a new program called Rocklab Foundations, which is catered toward students who have never played before or haven’t played in several years. Once they complete the program, students will move on to the traditional Rocklab.
“I want people to give us a try,” Cole said. “Come in. [The] first lesson's free—no obligation—but come in and experience it. Spend a couple hours with us and see if it changes you, I bet it will.”
