Full Interview
Eddie Holland gained worldwide fame as a Motown Record’s songwriter and music publisher along with his brother Brian. Eddie was also a recording artist who performed the chart-topping hit “Jamie” in the early 1960s. During the same time he penned a string of hits for some of the biggest names in...
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...
Sir John Pearse was proud of the role he played in encouraging countless people to play the guitar. His BBC program Hold Down a Chord was based on lessons he created by picking up simple techniques from his favorite blues players such as Mississippi John Hurt and Big Bill Broonzy. John provided a...
Martin Konig’s father, Karl, partnered with Erich Meyer in 1949 to create a wholesale business in which their first products were music stands. Soon the Germany-based company grew to not only supply music accessories created by other companies, they began producing their own products such as...
Gerald Wilson was among the great arrangers of jazz, beginning back in the swing era when he worked for the famed Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra. He established a distinctive style rich in melodic phrases and tasty rhythms, which stood out among the most stylish jazz arrangements. The impressive list...
Gerhard Meinl represents the 7th generation in a family of brass instrument makers. After integrating the East German, formerly state-owned, B&S GmbH in Markneukirchen in 1991 with Melton Meinl Weston, Gerhard and an investment group bought the clarinet maker Antoine Courtois in 1994.Then in ...
Bob Bull held many positions throughout the music products industry over his long career. However, he is perhaps best known as the president of the Steinway & Sons piano company during the early 1970s. At the time, Steinway was owned by CBS Musical Instruments. Bob, as the president of Steinway...
George Lukas recalled, in great detail, when he was aboard a navy ship at the end of World War II and sitting down to play a blue-painted Steinway upright piano (also known as the Steinway GI). Two sailors stood on either side of the piano with rope and knots to ensure George was able to play as...
Buddy DeFranco’s clarinet style helped to legitimize the instrument in the post-swing era as a modern jazz instrument and his techniques have been a major influence on performers ever since the late 1940s. Buddy’s powerful tone and unique approach to phrasing gave rise to the clarinet’s strong...
Jim Chapin had the idea of writing a method book for the beginning drummer that would provide clear examples and illustrations. The year was 1947 and no such book was in print. He gathered little hints and simple examples for the book that has become one of the best selling methods in the business...