Hillel Resner wrote for Mix Magazine for several years before the idea of creating a special award for audio engineering came into existence. Hillel worked alongside David Schwartz, the f...
Arnold Poppenberg was hired by the Winter Piano Company as a traveling salesman in 1959, the same year he attended his first NAMM Show. He remained with Winter for ten years, but went on ...
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 ...
Thomas Parnell formed an independent music rep firm at a time when few such firms existed. Tom wanted to focus on providing tools and ideas to his dealers to grow their business in order ...
Hai Muradian sang in his Kindergarten class and soon realized he really wanted to be on the stage to entertain people. After singing and playing flute in rock bands as a teenager, Hai beg...
Yoichi Minagawa began his career in the music industry in 1961 on the sales floor of a large music store in the heart of Tokyo. Minagawa-san soon met Moridaira-san, the founder of the co...
Buddy Merrill played the pedal steel guitar on the Lawrence Welk TV program from its start in 1954 until he left the show in 1974. Buddy played Fender products while on the Welk Show, whi...
Al Marinaro has helped define the role of the independent rep in the music products industry for over 40 years. Al’s passion for music and the industry has played a critical part in his q...
Manny Lopez was known around the world as the King of the Cha Cha Cha for his 1950s band and hit records dedicated to the dance craze, but Manny’s musical career was far more than just th...
Ron Larcombe formed a rock band with his friends while in high school and fell in love with music. He toured the United States and Canada with several tribute bands before deciding he wa...
Tsunesaburo Kurosawa has a deep passion for instrument building and has become one of Japan’s leading classical guitar luthiers. The success of his guitars grew into the need to create a...
Kiyokazu Ishibashi is proud to be in the music products industry and to follow the path of his father, who started the business following World War II. The music store was small in the be...
Werner Hotan has a background as a radio technician and worked in a music retail store in Switzerland before he began working for Mr. Sacher. Werner learned about drum making and many oth...
Jon Hammond's career is a testament to his musical prowess and unwavering passion for the industry. With more than 40 years of experience, Jon has not only graced the stage alongside lege...
Bill Gray was a music major in college and played drums professionally before joining the industry. Bill worked in music retail and as a manufacturer’s rep, which provided valuable experi...
Ken Edgington has many friends in the music industry, several of whom suggested he be included in the NAMM Oral History program, but when approached Ken was rather humble about his role i...
Dorothy Demmers was proud of the volunteer work she and her husband Bill provided the NAMM Foundation’s Museum of Making Music. For over a decade she gave her time and talents by providi...
William Demmers volunteered for the NAMM Foundation’s Museum of Making Music for over ten years. During that time he provided tours as a trained docent to guests of all ages. His own back...
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...
André Cotelle is the president of the French retail and wholesaler The Arpegès Company. The family-operated business has been a well-respected wholesaler in and outside of France for many...
Evelyn Conrad is the president of Tone King, a company her parents started in the early 1950s. Her father was innovative in manufacturing guitar bags and a line of accessories. By the 197...
Ray Benson and two friends formed a country rock band in 1970 called Asleep At The Wheel. Ever since that time Ray has continued to play with the band, which has seen nearly 100 musicians...
Drew Armentrout worked in music retail for years before being hired by the Roland Company to work in the electronic drum division. His early experience served him well as he viewed both ...
Marco Alpert has had a fascinating career in the music industry and lucky for the NAMM Oral History collection he shared many of his stories with us. Marco was an electronic music compose...
Jim Hennessey was working for Kaman Aerospace when he was transferred to the Ovation Guitar division. Jim worked closely with Charlie Kaman on several projects and later worked in the adv...
Joe Marinic played in several rock bands while in school and became fascinated with the electric guitar. As a teenager he began building his own amplifiers and pickups for his guitar. Aft...
TM Stevens was a prominent figure in the music industry, celebrated for both his design and endorsement of musical products and his illustrious career as a musician. His passion for encou...
David Schwartz was very active in the pro audio and recording industry in the 1970s when he had an idea. Since the era was filled with technological advances, why not highlight the happen...
Alan Parsons is known throughout the world for his innovative recordings in the 1970s and 1980s with the Alan Parsons Project, but did you know he was also an audio engineer who worked on...
Irena Komatar was the founder and president of the Lastra Company, located in the country of Slovenia. What started out as a small music retail store quickly grew into both retailing and ...
