Paul Craft always felt a pull towards music but was not just sure how it would take hold in his life. For a time he ran a music store in Memphis called Paul Craft’s Music and Drum City al...
JD Crowe recalled seeing Earl Scruggs perform in Lexington with Lester Flatt when he was a kid. The sound was so unique and different that all young JD could think about was getting a ba...
Carol Cuellar has always had a love for music, especially classic country music, which was somewhat rare for a young girl growing up in England. When she moved to Florida she landed a fi...
Lou Curtiss was a long time supporter of American folk music and in fact, he helped coin the phrase “roots music.” For over 30 years he created, arranged and promoted the annual folk musi...
Don Cusic recalls that in 1964 he was greatly influenced by three musical discoveries: Roger Miller, Hank Williams, and The Beatles! After forming his own band and playing Bluegrass music...
Eric Dahl recalls his father playing bass guitar as a kid and the wide range of records in his home growing up, from jazz to the blues. As a small child, he was given a Casper the Friendl...
Dean Daniels plays a vital role in the production of the annual TEC Awards during the Anaheim NAMM Shows. His expertise in video production goes back to the early days of country music p...
Charlie Daniels won the Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance in 1979 for "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", which reached #3 on the charts. The following year, "Devil" became a ...
Gail Davies was the first female Record Producer in Nashville. In 1973, she was encouraged to run her own sessions by Henry Lewy (1926-2008). It was not easy to establish herself as a pro...
Barry De Vorzon began writing songs as a teenager and had several hits during his long career. Among his top charters were two hit instrumental songs, the theme for the television show S...
Deke Dickerson began his musical career when he started playing the saxophone, but quickly realized he was much more adept at playing the guitar. As a part of the affectionately named “68...
Randy Dorman joined Kenny Rogers' road band in 1977 and worked with the legendary country singer until his last tour in 2017. Along the way Randy performed with each one of Kenny’s guest ...
Jeff Douglas worked with Bob Willcutt in Lexington, Kentucky, and learned all about guitar building and repair. Bob’s store is legendary and well respected for the selection and quality ...
Earl Dummer played his flattop Martin guitar during the folk music boom of the 1960s as part of the Shenandoah Trio. The group toured with Jimmy Rodgers among others and recorded for Bill...
Don Edwards was raised on cowboy music despite being born in New Jersey, a fact he has joked about even in song. His easygoing style led to a successful career as a traveling singer with...
Buddy Emmons is on the short list of the most influential steel pedal guitarists in the world. Along with Alvino Rey and Speedy West, Buddy helped define the role of the instrument in pop...
Charlie Feldman was inspired to play the guitar thanks to this father. While a teenager, Charlie formed several bands and over the years played with such great named bands as The Bassmen ...
DJ Fontana drove down to Houston in a pink Cadillac with Elvis Presley after being hired as the then unknown singer’s first drummer. They pulled up to Herbie Brodstein’s Drum Shop (Herb w...
Jerry Foster was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame based on his long and successful career in music. Over the years he has penned such country classics with his partne...
Fred Foster is a legendary name in Nashville music history. His role first as a record promoter then producer helped the careers of many performers and resulted in hundreds of hit recordi...
Paul Franklin asked his father to help modify his pedal steel guitar, as he had ideas to create sounds and chord changes that were not possible on the instrument at the time. His father, ...
Dallas Frazier was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame for writing such hits as "There Goes My Everything" and "Elvira." "There Goes My Everything" has been recorded doze...
Hubert Friar was hired by the Gibson Guitar Company in Kalamazoo in 1959. Hubert worked for the company over 25 years. He worked at the end of the line, doing fret work. Hubert grew up...
Elaine Frizzell was an artist endorser for the Mosrite Guitar Company back in the 1960s. Over the years she became close friends with the company’s founders, Semi and Andy Mosley. She wit...
Crystal Gayle had a string of hit country songs in the 1970s including her big number one crossover pop hit, "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blues." The recording provided Crystal the opport...
Steve Gibson repeated, “I’ve been blessed,” which acted as a recurring theme throughout his NAMM Oral History interview. The sentiment comes from a review of his extraordinary career as a...
Vince Gill attended his first NAMM Show when he was nineteen years old and living in Los Angeles, California, back in 1977. Over the years, Vince has supported many music retailers and s...
Randy Goodrum became well known in Nashville as a studio piano player. He has played on many albums for a wide range of performers while developing his skills as a songwriter. In 1977, Ra...
Billy Grammer formed his own guitar company after years of playing country music in and around Nashville. Billy recorded several hit records on his own as well as playing behind some of t...
Bonnie Guitar produced a series of hit recordings for her label, Dolton, in the 1950s and 60s. Among the labels most popular acts were the Fleetwoods and the Ventures. Bonnie even recorde...
Tom T. Hall loved telling a good old country story, you know the ones with a twist at the end and plenty of references to beer and fishin’. When he set those stories to music he helped la...
Norman Hamlet was just a kid when he heard this strange but wonderful sound during a Grand Ole Opry radio program. He was told the sound came from a Hawaiian Guitar, which was a term used...
