Deceased
Carma Lou Beck was an active musician and teacher when she began working in music retail in Iowa in the 1960s. She opened her own store in Cedar Rapids in 1967, after working for a few other stores, including one owned and operated by the Wurlitzer Company. By the time Carma Lou's House of Music...
Syl Johnson recorded a string of popular blues and R&B songs in the 1950s, 60s and 70s, which have been inspirational for generations of musicians. Soul, funk and Hip-Hop artists have cited Syl and his style of playing as influences including Jay Z. Over the years he performed with such icons...
Eddy Clearwater was a teenager when he left Mississippi to live with his uncle in Chicago. There he discovered his love for the blues. As a guitarist, Eddy became a sought after session player in the area. As a songwriter, Eddy added to the modern blues movement in the 1950’s with a string of...
Bob Gand opened a music shop in Deerfield, IL in the early 1960s, which was an influence not only to the community but to his son Gary. Gary went on to open his own successful retail business. Bob fell in love with folk music in the 1960s and formed the Gand Family Singers, which included his...
Betty Kline was getting a little tired of running to town for band accessories when her husband, a music director, needed something for his students. What started out being a large box of accessories in her home developed into some of the key band and orchestra music stores in the Sacramento area...
Mo Morrison could often be found behind the stage at every concert and performance by Lady Gaga. As a concert production and tour manager, he worked with many of the biggest and brightest stars in pop music and rock and roll. His career started as a stage hand and rigger, which led to such...
Brian Jemelian didn't think of himself as a musician, although he played violin as a child and later as an employee of Yamaha he took both piano and guitar lessons. Brian studied business in college and was very interested in the business world. After a successful mentoring program at Price...
Bob Rufkahr's long career in the music business began in retail in 1962! He later moved into wholesale and manufacturing before he formed his own company, Image Marketing in 1980. Along the way he mentored a generation of industry salesmen who credit Bob for their own success both in marketing...
Paul Laubin followed in his father's footsteps both as a symphonic oboist and as an instrument maker. Alfred Laubin made his first oboe in 1931. He steadily improved his design, and went on to make hundreds of instruments and grow A. Laubin, Inc. into a full-time business. Paul grew up in the...
William Kent, along with his brother Ed, formed the Kent Drum Company in 1947 with a focus to create student-level kits to encourage music making at all economic levels. The company offered professional-level drums as well as other products such as the tambourine. William was always proud that a...