Composer/Songwriter
Emma Lou Diemer has written classical, choral, and even hymns based organ music during her long and successful career as a composer. Her music has been published by over 40 different music publishers over the years, including several that requested she write method books and beginner music, which...
Catfish Keith was proud to take part in the 40th anniversary of Santa Cruz Guitar Company in the fall of 2016. He not only performed on his favorite SCGC model on stage at the Rio Theater but also took the time to talk about his early passion for music and his introduction to the Santa Cruz Guitar...
Don Edwards was raised on cowboy music despite being born in New Jersey, a fact he has joked about even in song. His easy going style led to a successful career as a traveling singer with albums such as Songs On the Trail and Goin’ Back to Texas. Don has also been strongly connected with the...
William Bell began singing in doo-wop groups before signing for Stax Records in Memphis, which is where his first hit was recorded. In fact that song, "You Don't Miss Your Water" was also the first big hit for the newly formed record label that would go on to redefine soul music. William wrote...
Chick Corea loved being a music maker! Nominated over 60 times for a Grammy, Chick was among the most high profile musicians we have been blessed to interview for the NAMM Oral History program, and yet he was also one of the most down to earth men we have ever met. Around the time of his two NAMM...
George Tomsco formed the influential rock band The Fireballs with several of his high school friends. The band became known for its instrumental recordings, which were very popular in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Many of the band’s best known songs were written by George, including “Torquay”...
Bob Spikard formed an instrumental rock band with his high school buddies and they called themselves the Chantay’s. The band’s greatest hit, co-written by Bob, was entitled “Pipeline”! The song redefined the instrumental hit recordings of the era and helped put Surf Guitar on the map. Although...
Randy Holden was a teenager when he formed a rock and blues band in Pennsylvania called The Iridescents. The core of that band moved to California to follow the wave of emerging Surf instrumental bands and formed The Fender IV. The band recorded several songs that have since played an important...
John R. Smith and his wife, Valerie Day, formed the 1980s pop band Nu Shooz, which charted several hits and helped established the synth sound of that decade. As a kid, John played guitar and dreamed of being a rock star. He soon discovered that he had a talent as an arranger and songwriter,...
Brian Setzer nearly single handedly brought back the popularity of the rockabilly electric guitar sound that was first established by Scotty Moore, Elvis Presley's first guitarist. Brian was interviewed for the NAMM Oral History program within a month of Scotty Moore's passing in the summer of...