A decade in the making
After more than a decade spent on stages and behind soundboards across the Black Hills, Tyler Bills and Mike Grosek are turning their shared experience into a new business venture.
The longtime friends and musicians officially launched Ponderosa Sound Co. in early January, offering audio production, PA rentals and live-event support for musicians and venues throughout the region.
“We’ve been part of the Black Hills music scene for a long time, but to be a part of it in this aspect is super exciting,” Bills said. “We know that there’s a need for this.”
Neither Bills nor Grosek are strangers to what it takes to successfully start and maintain a business in the local music scene. Grosek was born and raised in the Sturgis area and Bills moved to the Black Hills more than a decade ago to join the band Judd Hoos. Grosek also spent years working as an audio engineer at venues like The Loud American in Sturgis and touring as an audio engineer and later as a drummer with local musician Brandon Jones.
Bills and Grosek say their experience onstage and off shapes how they work with artists and venues and what will set Ponderosa Sound Co apart from the rest of the market.
“I’m super excited to be this very friendly, accessible production company,” Bills said. “Whatever you need, we got you.”
Both believe that being musicians themselves gives them an advantage.
“The best sound guys I’ve ever worked with are musicians,” Bills said. “They understand what it’s like up there.”
From soundboard to small business
The idea for Ponderosa Sound Co. had been circulating for years, partially encouraged by friends and family who recognized Grosek’s technical skill.
“People have been telling me for years that I should do it,” Grosek said. “I was finally just like, why am I doing all these other things that I’m sort of good at, when I could just do something that I know I’m good at?”
According to him, part of the transition was made easier by already being a business owner with his previously established handyman business.
“I realized that it’s really not that hard to start your own business,” he said. “That was the reason I didn’t do my own sound thing before.”
As a pair, Tyler Bills and Mike Grosek split responsibilities based on their strengths. Grosek focuses on logistics, equipment and bookkeeping, while Bills handles client relationships and outreach.
“I call him the face of the business,” Grosek jokes. “He’s good at going and talking and doing these sort of things, and I’m good at doing the behind-the-scenes stuff.”
What Ponderosa Sound Co. offers
Ponderosa Sound Co. provides entire PA systems along with professional sound mixing for a wide variety of live events.
“Not just making something louder, but making it sound good,” Bills said. “It’s an art.”
In addition to live music production, the company is exploring wedding and event DJ services, including package options that combine live performance and audio support. Paired with their musician-first, friendly mentality, Ponderosa Sound Co is shaping up to be a bright star for Black Hills musicians and venues.
“We’re kind of leaning on that uniqueness,” Bills said. “We’re not just a production company, we can offer these other things for people.”
Looking ahead to 2026 and beyond
For now, the company is building through word-of-mouth referrals, relationships with venues and connections within the regional music community. Advertising and expansion of staff are also parts of the long-term plan.
The founders ultimately hope to raise the bar for live sound at mid-sized and smaller venues throughout the Black Hills, as well.
“We want to get in there and show them what these bands can actually sound like,” Grosek said. “That helps the venues, the bands and the scene in general.”
And if you see a new van in town down the line, that just might be them. “I dream about having a van with Ponderosa Sound on the side of it,” Grosek said with a laugh.
Ponderosa Sound Co. can be found online at ponderosasoundco.com, with updates available on Facebook and Instagram.
