Grammy Awards
Christian McBride teamed with his wife, Melissa Walker, to create a school music program in Montclair, New Jersey called Jazz House Kids. Advocating for their program, the couple have become knowledgeable on the importance of music education, and well spoken cheerleaders for arts funding. As an...
Branford Marsalis has a deep passion for music that reflects not only in his playing but his music education as well. Branford attributes his skills as a musician through dedicated practice in real life band situations, continually reassessing where he is in his practice and development. This...
Ella Jenkins earned the title The First Lady of Children's Folk Songs and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for her dedication to bringing music to children. She began collecting and writing folk songs as a summer camp counselor, which years later tied nicely with her college studies of child...
Lester Abrams is the songwriter who teamed up with Michael McDonald to pen the Doobie Brothers hit "Minute by Minute." As a teenager and playing drums, Lester's first band was the El Doradoe. He later switched to keyboard and after playing with a few other bands landed in the innovative band...
Steven Raft was the CFO of Alfred Music for several years. Steven grew up in Montreal, Canada and he had an early start working in the music industry: as a teenager he was a manager for community dances which used Cerwin-Vega! loudspeakers. After completing college in California, Steven worked at...
J. Aaron Brown headed up Word Publishing in Nashville between 1970 and 1980. Before that time he had worked with several musicals acts, including the Oak Ridge Boys. As a songwriter himself, Aaron added his personal knowledge and passion for music to all of the projects he was involved with over...
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...
Brent Fischer has provided several presentations at the Hot Zone during the NAMM Show, providing his insight regarding the music industry. His career started as a young child listening to his father, Clare Fischer, compose. Over the years they worked together and when his father’s health began to...
Mark Kibble is the first tenor for the singing group Take 6, which he formed along with Claude McKnight, in 1980. Mark has played an important role in the development of the group’s sound not only as a vocalist but as an arranger. During their career the group has sold millions of recordings and...
Alvin Chea is the bass for the singing group Take 6. Alvin joined the group five years after they were formed and soon became an important element in their unique sound. During their career the group has sold millions of recordings and has won countless awards, including ten Grammy Awards. The...