Indiana
Mari Mach spent nearly 40 years in the music industry in and around Elkhart, Indiana. She began her career in the sales department working for C. G. Conn for four years before being offered a job at the Gemeinhardt Flute Company. While at Gemeinhardt, she worked with Danny Henkin, who was then the...
Mark Goff was ready to work for a musical instrument manufacturer after college when he was told that he needed retail experience. Impressed with the idea and eager to learn all he could he applied to work at Paige’s Music in Indiana. Mark enjoyed working with the owner, past NAMM Chairman Warner...
Dennis Bamber helped pioneer mail order catalogs for musical products beginning in the 1970s. After opening a small woodwind store in South Bend, Indiana in 1978, Dennis noticed that many of his customers were traveling 5 and 6 hours to his store. While he expanded the size of the store he also...
Joe Guth’s career in the music products industry began with a short stint with Selmer and as a former band director he brought a great perspective to selling instruments to school music programs. He later had a storied 25-year career at Gemeinhart Flutes in Elkhart, IN, where he furthered his...
Craig Gigax’s father established Meridian Music in Indianapolis and built up a respected reputation, due largely to his friendly personality and clever business skills. After his father, Richard, passed away in 1995, Craig gave up his career in microprocessors to continue in his father’s footsteps...
Warner Paige grew up in the music retail business. As a kid Warner would sweep up the store after school and on weekends. As he grew he enjoyed the business more and more and eventually took over the store when his father retired. Along the way Warner took great pride in being involved with the...
William Metcalfe’s father began working for A. P. (Pops) Schuttler in a little music store in Evansville, Indiana, back in 1930. When his father bought the store in a ten-year deal beginning in 1949, the store sold string instruments and accessories until his father brought in records. After...
George Holden is the president and co-founder of Smith-Holden Music Store in Bloomington, IN. As a music teacher George partnered with a close friend who sadly committed suicide soon after the store was opened in the 1950s. In memory of him, George decided not to change the store name. Over the...
Bernie Vance played the saxophone in a number of big bands during the swing era. He was drafted and served during World War II, only to come home and find that musical tastes had changed. The big band era was over so Bernie turned to what he knew best, his horn. If he couldn’t play it for a living...