ARTS & CULTURE
Coffee and music Local business duo has spent their lives around music
STORY BY MICHELLE WULFSON
With five studio projects in the works , musicians and Half Avenue Coffee and Mercantile owners John Toland and Katey Peveto , known as Katey Bell in the music industry , are looking forward to a year of creative growth .
Being a part of a musically gifted family and singing in her childhood church choir , music has always been in Peveto ’ s heart . However , it wasn ’ t until she met her partner , Toland , that she found her voice .
“ I ’ ve wanted to write music and be a part of music my entire life , I was just really self conscious about it because everyone wants to do something , everyone has a dream and I was really scared of not being able to do it so I was just like , why even try ,” Peveto said . “ And then I met
John , and he ’ s been trying his entire life and is still planning to try even if it doesn ’ t work out .”
An avid record collector his whole life , Toland quickly found an everlasting love for music and began creating at an early age . Growing up in Coldspring , Toland performed in his family ’ s church choir and at five years-old he started playing piano , moving on to guitar at 12 and drums at 13 , followed by picking up the bass guitar shortly after .
“ At some point I started recording music in my bedroom when I was about 15 , and then I got a job at a small studio around that time too ,” Toland remembered . “( Music has ) been my thing my whole life , I ’ ve always known that that ’ s what I was going to do .”
12 | HUNTSVILLE LIVING | WINTER 2021