Deceased
Charles J. Dumont’s grandfather and uncle opened a sheet music distribution company in 1945. The company, Charles Dumont and Son in Philadelphia, became one of the key jobbers within the industry. At the age of 13, Charles J. Dumont ran errands for the company. After his uncle’s untimely death in...
Grassella Oliphant was a drummer is entire life and it is what he loved to do. During his long career, he played back-up for a host of jazz and blues performers as well as singers such as Sarah Vaughan and Gloria Lynne. Beginning in the 1950s, Grassella’s long association with the drum industry...
Hawley Ades was hired by Irving Berlin in 1932 to assist the legendary American songwriter with musical arrangements. Hawley stayed with Berlin for five years before being hired by choir master and bandleader Fred Waring. He joined Mr. Waring at the time the bandleader hoped to launch his own...
Eleanor Anderson helped establish Woodbury Music Company with her late husband, Leroy Anderson. The company is managed by their three children (Kurt, Rolf and Jane) with a third generation very active in music as well. As composer and arranger, Leroy Anderson published popular classical music...
Walter Ehret was the music arrangers’ equivalent to Mel Blanc – the man with a thousand voices. Walter was the man with a thousand pseudonyms. Under his various names, he arranged for most of the major publishers over a career that spanned over 50 years. His work was mostly centered around...
Joe Morello’s influential drumming style was showcased on the landmark Dave Brubeck recording of “Take Five.” Ever since, he has inspired generations of performers. Joe became an icon in the music product’s industry through his long associations with manufacturers as an endorsee, music retailers as...
Michael Nugent was the former president of Norlin Corporation. He joined the company when it was still Chicago Musical Instrument Corporation (CMI). M.H. Berlin, CMI’s founder, had purchased a few instrument lines to expand the company’s keyboard products department. Mr. Berlin’s son, Arnie, hired...
Morris “Arnie” Lang played percussion for the New York Philharmonic for over 40 years and wrote the book on percussive technique -- literally. Arnie became involved with the music products industry in the 1950s when he began making his own mallets and later snare drums and complete sets. Along the...
Bernice Ash began working at the Sam Ash Music Store in New York City in 1947, one year before marrying the founder’s eldest son, Jerry. Bernice and Jerry continued the tradition of keeping the retail store in the Ash family. Bernice is widely recognized as one of the pioneers of the development of...
Paul Ash had great memories of his father, Sam Ash, the founder of Sam Ash Music in New York. Paul enjoyed the years he worked with his father and credited him for his knowledge of the music products business. Paul also learned his philosophy of customer care from his father, which he developed...