IN the swinging Sixties, Stephen Noon graced the stages of Huddersfield with band Mark Fender and The Trackers.

Now his pop idol days are over, but music is still making Stephen and his family a successful living.

He and his wife Joan and daughter Rachel Price run Armitage Bridge-based music shop Eagle Music.

Stephen set up the shop as one of the country's most prestigious traditional and acoustic instrument specialists two years ago.

The business has now moved into renovated premises at Bank Foot Lane.

Stephen said the friendly, family atmosphere and the expertise of staff is what sets Eagle Music apart.

"Usually if a customer needs help with an instrument there is somebody who will know plenty about it. Everyone that works here is a musician.

"I wanted a family business and so far it's working very well. It's a friendly atmosphere and the customers notice it."

It has taken Stephen many years - and a series of career moves - to reach this point.

After leaving Mark Fender and The Trackers, he worked as a professional musician with a series of folk bands.

The Trackers were Huddersfield's leading rock and roll band in the late 50s and early 60s.

They were fronted by Colin Binns, who adopted the stage name Mark Fender.

Stringed instruments - the guitar, mandolin, ukelele and banjo - are Stephen's specialities but he also plays a host of other instruments.

He took a break from showbusiness and went into engineering for 19 years.

However, his love of music drew him back to work for Dave Mallinson Music, retailers of accordions and stringed instruments.

He then founded a traditional music shop in Cleckheaton with two partners.

Rachel - a piano and accordion player - also worked at the firm for six years before leaving with her father to set up Eagle Music.

Stephen says his shop is unusual, because of the large range of specialist instruments it stocks.

Stephen said: "There aren't too many shops where you can get the range of specialist equipment we have and a general service too."

Eagle Music sells wide ranges of classical guitars, banjos, mandolins, ukeleles, squeezeboxes, accordions, harmonicas, Irish bodhran drums, flutes, concertinas, bazoukis and electric and standard violins.

They also sell electric guitars.

Many of the instruments are hand-built and provided to Eagle Music exclusively by the manufacturers.

For example, the shop is one of just six in the world to be classed as international premiere dealers of American-made Deering banjos.

They also have an exclusive arrangement with renowned guitar maker Patrick Eggle to sell his hand-built instruments - which start at around £2,000.

Stephen said: "The guitars we have you can't buy in other shops. He saw our shop and liked what we do, so he agreed to supply us."

The prices of Eagle Music instruments often run into thousands of pounds, so Stephen is keen to keep them in good condition.

Even the strings have their own air-conditioned, dehumidified room.

Before an instrument leaves the shop, an on-site repair team checks to ensure it is in top condition.

This attention to detail attracts customers to Eagle Music from all over the globe.

Their name is well-known from festivals which they sponsor- including Holmfirth Folk Festival.

But Stephen is keen to stress that the shop is not just for specialists.

He said: "Even though we do specialist stuff, we also cater for the absolute novice and musician's general needs.

"We don't just sell things to customers, we look after all of them."

If you want to find out more, visit www.eaglemusic.com