Philip Patterson Werlein (1812–1885) was a prominent American music publisher, piano dealer, and musical instrument retailer based in New Orleans, Louisiana. Active during the nineteenth century, Werlein established a significant footprint in the musical culture of the American South. He is best remembered for founding Werlein's for Music, a retail music store chain that grew to become one of the largest and longest-running enterprises of its kind in the region, operating for over 150 years. Throughout his career, Werlein's contributions to the music industry were defined by both his retail acumen and his publishing choices. During the American Civil War, his firm became widely known for printing and distributing sheet music that resonated with the contemporary public. Among his most notable publications was the sheet music for the famous song "Dixie." Through his publishing house and his extensive retail network, Werlein helped shape the musical landscape of New Orleans and the broader American South for generations.
