Kelly Patterson gets a smile on his face each time he assists a child in playing their first note on a musical instrument. He recalls that moment for himself, while in the 5th grade and p...
Bobbi Paul is the Co-Founder of Piano Trends Music Company in Crystal Lake, Illinois. Bobbi and her husband opened the music store in 1990 and have been proud to see it grow into an impor...
Sir John Pearse was proud of the role he played in encouraging countless people to play the guitar. His BBC program Hold Down a Chord was based on lessons he created by picking up simple ...
Bruce Pearson developed his own methods of teaching students music, which became the center of his three successful book series for Kjos Music Publishing. He taught music in the public s...
Jeffrey Pellegrini was mentored as a General Manager for Ted Brown Music by Kent Isenberg, who had been with the company for over 50 years. Jeffery paid close attention to the way Kent ap...
Jerry Pellegrino wanted to own a business ever since he was a kid, so when the opportunity arose to start his own music store, he jumped at the chance. With a small loan and the help of s...
John Perdue has always had a deep passion for music, first as a kid playing clarinet in horn bands, then as a music educator, and now as a docent for NAMM’s Museum of Making Music. He tau...
Sylvia Perry and her late husband, Mack, teamed up in 1945 to establish Peripole, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Perry taught music and worked to innovate and manufacture instruments for the growth an...
Jim Petercsak grew up in New York and recalls the days he visited the Henry Adler Music Shop, and how he became so passionate about drumming and music that he made it his career. Jim has ...
Gordon B. Peters spent decades performing, teaching, and composing for the percussive arts. He worked to provide meaningful tools to students and teachers alike while keeping his techniqu...
Menzie Pittman is the founder and owner of Contemporary Music Center located in Virginia. Menzie was inspired to to pursue music after he saw The Beatles perform live on Ed Sullivan. Afte...
Summer Pittman began taking piano and voice lessons at Contemporary Music Center when she was seven years old. After studying with many teachers, Summer also started playing guitar. She h...
Jim Progris attended the Berklee College of Music back in 1956 and witnessed firsthand the development of the school’s courses and programs over the years. He returned to the school to te...
Daniel Puccio grew up in the music store his mom and dad ran in Corning, New York. As you might guess, the passion for music was passed along to Daniel at a young age. He played and lat...
Manel Punti is the Managing Director of Music Distribution, a wholesale business in Spain that his father established in the 1960s. Manel grew up in the music industry as well as a musica...
Fred Rast is the founder of Fred Rast Mouthpieces and a music lesson instructor for Music Village. The store is located in San Jose, California and is his musical haven with students and...
Ron Raup was among the first commercial members to serve on the NAMM Board. His long career in the industry has been highlighted by his incredible vision and marketing skills for the Make...
Les Ray was a well spoken advocate for music education. As the founder of ASM Music Schools in Florida, he created a respected educational program that includes some 2,500 students each w...
Brian Reardon, owner of Monster Music in Levittown, New York, got his start manufacturing record racks to house albums and songbooks in record stores. One of his customers was Monster Mus...
Karla Redding-Andrew’s father, Otis Redding, committed himself early on in his short career to philanthropy. The soul legend started a camp inviting 600 school students to learn about mus...
Donna Reed wanted to continue to provide music lessons even after retiring from teaching in a traditional school setting. After 30 years as a music education teacher in the public schools...
Bennett Reimer’s name is familiar to millions of music college students who have read his books, A Philosophy of Music Education and the Silver Burdett Music book that he co-authored. The...
Delores Rhoads began teaching music in 1939. Seventy years later when she was interviewed by NAMM, she was still teaching. After World War II Delores and her husband opened a small teachi...
Tom Rhodes was a Texas bandmaster who felt strongly about the need for sheet music dealers to work closely with school band directors. Along with two partners, Tom established the RBC Mus...
Herlin Riley is a native of New Orleans and a continuing link in the chain of great jazz drummers. Herlin was raised in a musical household by his grandparents and originally played the t...
Richard Riley served as Secretary of Education under Bill Clinton and was a two term Governor of South Carolina. His love of music goes back to his parents and his piano lessons as a boy...
Bud Roberds was two months shy of his 103rd birthday when he was interviewed for the NAMM Oral History program about his life in music. His father was an avid musician, always bringing in...
Mike Rosen is a professor of percussion at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Oberlin, Ohio. Over the years Mike has been very active with the Percussive Arts Society and has contribute...
Andy Rowley is a member of the iconic swing band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. Since its inception in 1993, the band has achieved tremendous success with hit records and memorable concert appeara...
Steve Rucker is the Director of Drumset Studies at the University of Miami. His long and interesting career began in Charlotte, where his father fell in love with big band music and ofte...
Patrice Rushen has forged many in roads in the music industry. While Patrice got her start recording as an accomplished jazz pianist, she soon branched out into many other genres includin...
