Full Interview
Joe Beard doesn't remember a time when he didn't have a guitar. He grew up near Ashland, Mississippi becoming friends with locals Syl and Jimmy Johnson and Floyd and Matt Murphy. In Memphis he met B.B. King and Howlin’ Wolf. Later in the 1960s in Chicago, he played with Buddy Guy, Junior Wells,...
Booker T. Jones grew up in Memphis and began recording as a session player while still in high school at the age of 17. While waiting for a session to begin, Booker and the other musicians in the studio began playing a song Booker wrote, which was later given a name when the engineer encouraged...
Larry Dunn played a key role in the success of the legendary group Earth, Wind & Fire! As the keyboardist for the group he added new sounds in the innovative era of electronic musical instruments. As Musical Director for the group he set high standards of creative and musical performances...
Cliff Acred began playing music in junior high school and later majored in music in college. He played in the 3rd Army Band out of Atlanta while in the service and once out returned home to Memphis. Cliff was hired to play bass in the house bands for Sun Records and later for Stax Records. At...
Jack Ashford played percussion as a member of the famed Funk Brothers, the house band for Motown Records beginning in the 1960s. Jack’s unique approach to the tambourine soon resulted in his growing reputation for adding special layers to the music. As a member of the Funk Brothers, he recorded...
Ron Bienstock was playing gigs by night and the editor for the International Musicians & Recording World when he was hired by Hoshino to serve as their General Counsel. It was at that time when Ron realized he could combine his two loves, music and the law. In 1987 he opened Bienstock &...
Billy Ray Hearn is credited by many for pioneering the concept of Contemporary Christian Music during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Influenced by the folk musicians of the day (Peter, Paul and Mary and others) Billy Ray brought these modern sounds into the church to surprising results. The...
Norbert Putnam is a studio musician’s studio musician. With a career that includes playing on most of the early Muscle Shoals recordings as well as hundreds of tracks with Elvis Presley, Norbert also played with and produced such artists as Jimmy Buffett, Dan Fogelberg and Joan Baez. At the heart...
Preston Epps was the percussionist who had a top 20 hit recording in 1959 entitled "Bongo Rock." The success of the song led to additional recordings and concert tours that forever tied his name with the bongos! His fascinating career in music included gigs with Count Basie, Ben Pollack and even...
Michael Laiacona wanted to create a guitar box with special effects just for himself. In fact, when he first showed it to the members of Taj Mahal in 1971, Michael didn't even have a name for it, nor did he think at the time it would be a product someone else would buy. When the band ordered...