Guitars
Kevin Jarvis began working for Gelb Music in Redwood City, California in 1966 as a guitar teacher. The store was established in 1939 by Sydney Gelb, who was still running the store when Kevin joined the store. Kevin fell in love with the music business as he continued to teach and play...
Joe Teixeira opened a small music store in San Jose, California in 1964. As the fiftieth anniversary approached in 2013, Joe sat down for his NAMM Oral History interview to begin documenting the contributions of Music Village! The company has grown to two locations and focuses on teaching, just...
Hideo Kamimoto wrote the book on guitar repair! He built his first guitar in the late 1950s and soon discovered he had a true passion as a luthier. Within a decade he opened H. Kamimoto Instrument Repairs in Oakland, California. By this time Hideo was also repairing other string instruments...
Wolf Marshall has an awful lot of insight into the styles and gear of rock and blues guitarists. It helps that Wolf is an amazing player –and teacher. It also helps that he is a fan of the music and can speak on the developments of styles and even the quintessential licks such as those made...
Jay Pilzer is the founder of New Hope Guitars and has been very active in the vintage guitar market for several decades. While earning his doctorate and teaching history, Jay became fascinated with guitars. As a musician he enjoyed playing them and as a history professor he enjoyed learning about...
Earl Matzkin was arrested by the East German Army in 1985 for trying to pass the Berlin Wall that divided the country without the needed visas in order to visit the Petrof Piano Company. Earl had high hopes for exporting the piano to the United States, but was unaware of what was required to enter...
Cecilia Rodrigo is the only daughter of famed Spanish composer Joaquin Rodrigo. In addition to her colorful life growing up in such a musical home, Cecilia’s passion for music led her to establish and run the music publishing company for her father’s music as well as a foundation dedicated to her...
Franz Moser is a student of instrument acoustics as well as a double bass player who often asked himself, “What conditions need to be fulfilled for a stringed instrument to immediately respond with a clear, powerful tone at all times?” The search for an answer took Franz on an educational journey...
John Dee Holeman was an influential blues performer known as the last surviving original musician who popularized the Piedmont Blues style. The finger-picking guitar style was also known as Southeastern Blues and refers to alternating thumb bass string rhythms with the syncopated melodic treble...
Dennis Howren is the president of the Howren Music Store in Charlotte, North Carolina. The store was founded by his father and was run by his two older brothers before Dennis took over as president. The store has a strong school music program and in fact one of Dennis's first jobs after returning...